


Someone Who'll Watch Over Me

by Frassington



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:00:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 201,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22904368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frassington/pseuds/Frassington
Summary: Peggy and Angie's story, reworked and continued.
Relationships: Peggy Carter & Original Female Character(s), Peggy Carter/Angie Martinelli, Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers
Comments: 131
Kudos: 107





	1. This Lost Lamb

**Author's Note:**

> This is dedicated to the Cartinelli fans that felt Peggy and Angie deserved more. I hope you like it.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, just the original ones. Fact: I'm always late to the party.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peggy and Angie's story, reworked and continued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is dedicated to the Cartinelli fans that felt Peggy and Angie deserved more. I hope you like it.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, just the original ones. Fact: I'm always late to the party.

_New York City. April, 1946._

It was a busy day in the L&L automat as Angie Martinelli, one of the waitresses, walked over to a booth to top up a customer’s coffee and stopped in her tracks. The revolving door had just stopped spinning and for once in a long while, she was happy to see who it was that came in to the restaurant.

It had been three days since she first saw the brunette woman, and she couldn’t believe her luck. It’s not as if the L&L were any different than any of the other automats, except for maybe the pie, _that_ was indeed special. ‘If I had a quarter to spare,’ she thought, ‘I’d play it on the numbers.’ The woman in question, quickly looked around, somewhat disappointedly and then made her way straight to the counter. Angie made a point to man the counter for the rest of the shift so that she could get some more time with her today.

That first day she had seen her was a long one for Angie because Myra had called in sick again and she had to pull a double. She wasn’t too upset about it; she didn’t really have anything better to do, she surmised. Besides, the woman who had come in looking like she knew what she was about, nodded her head when Angie asked, “Coffee?” and had silently thanked her with such a warm smile that it made any cares (namely that she was working her second double shift in as many days) seemingly melt away.

Angie had been just about to ask her what she wanted to eat, but that creep over at the booth had called for her and the woman smiled knowingly and said, “I can wait,” with an English accent that intrigued her. After that, it had gotten so busy that she didn’t have a chance to talk to her again because Carla had come in and took over the counter, which meant that Angie was now on booths. She wasn’t completely sure why she was intrigued. For lack of a better explanation, she put it down to the fact that since almost the moment she could read, she was a bit of an Anglophile, but mostly she had to admit it was because of the thing she dare not give voice to; so she went about her business like nothing had changed. But it did change, and Angie, though she was loathed to admit it, knew that there was something special about that woman, and she knew she couldn’t let her leave without getting to know her at least a little better. Twenty minutes later, she looked towards the counter and was disappointed when she saw the brunette woman was no longer at the counter. ‘Oh well, c’est la vie,’ Angie thought with a sigh as she started clearing a particularly messy booth. It was recently vacated by a party of guys, who had ordered copious amounts of food, peppered her for most of the night with insults couched as flattery, and only gave left her a ten-cent tip. “Crumb-bums,” she mumbled, as she pocketed the coin.

Seeing that same woman come in just now, with her perfectly tailored blue suit, gleaming white starched shirt and red lipstick, made Angie quickly top up her current customer’s cup of coffee and hurry over to that part of the counter.

“What’ll it be for you, English?” she asked, while simultaneously taking the pencil out from her hair and the guest check pad out of her apron pocket.

“Coffee black, and…” The woman perused the menu quickly. “…a sandwich, I think. What do you recommend?” She looked at Angie, who tried her best not to get sucked into her gaze.

“Stay away from the chopped chicken liver and egg, if you have a date later,” she thought about it and added, “…or in the next week as a matter of fact. You’ll be belching that up for days.”

The English woman laughed at Angie’s blunt but easy manner and waited for another recommendation.

“I’m serious,” Angie said, and then realized the woman was waiting for more. “Tomato and bacon is good,” She pointed to a spot on the menu with her pencil. “My favorite is the corned beef on rye with swiss, little mustard…pickle on the side, heaven on earth.”

“That sounds really good but…I don’t suppose you have any cucumber sandwiches?”

“Only when the King and Queen are in town,” Angie said, with a wry smile and a quick wink. “But we have cucumbers and bread; I could wrestle up a couple.”

“That would be lovely,” The smile that she gave Angie made her heart do that thing she was trying not to have it do. “Could you be a dear and half it with the tomato and bacon?”

“You mean half a cucumber sandwich and half a tomato and bacon?”

“If it’s not too much trouble,” The woman said in a way that Angie knew she really meant it.

“No trouble at all. What kinda spread?”

“Spread?”

“On the sandwiches, mayo, mustard?”

“Oh, butter on the cucumber and…”

“Mayo on the tomato and bacon,” Angie said, nodding and writing down the order then quickly putting the pad in her apron while reaching for the menu in the woman’s hand. The woman didn’t give it up right away and it made Angie look at her.

“My name’s Peggy, Peggy Carter, and you are?” Those chocolate colored eyes looking at her with a glint in them, made her forget for a moment what had been asked of her. “Name?” Peggy asked, with an encouraging smile. There was that flutter again.

Angie pointed to her name tag and finally managed to say, “Angie,” after unsticking her tongue from her increasingly dry mouth. “Angie Martinelli.”

“Oh, I see,” Peggy said, with another sweet smile as Angie cursed her heart. “Thank you, Angie,” finally letting go of the menu.

“Not a problem,” Angie smiled back, trying not to go too big in the teeth-showing department. “I’ll go put in your order.”

Truth be told, that smile Peggy gave her and the courteous way she had introduced herself, was like a balm to Angie’s angry, burnt soul. The very same soul that had come to mid-town Manhattan six months ago with such high hopes of Broadway stardom, that lately, had been dashed by one rejected audition after another. Those hopes weren’t completely gone as of yet, but working in the L&L for the last few months had started to wear on her, especially with one rude customer after another trying her patience over the food she didn’t cook. Tonight though, as she walked to the kitchen, she had an extra spring in her step.

Angie knew Mal, the cook and owner of the L&L, was in a special mood today, so instead of putting the check on the carousel in the window, she walked the special order it into the kitchen. She surmised correctly that it would have him steaming. As she was describing to him how he would just make the two half sandwiches out of one slice of bread each, she caught a glance at Peggy who was looking in the paper and a slight grin crept its way onto her face.

It was wiped away quickly by Mal’s griping.

“We don’t even have cucumber sandwiches on the menu! I keep telling you, Angie, you have to get them to stick to the menu.”

“We have cucumbers on the menu,” Angie said, unblinkingly.

“In the salad, but who puts them on a sandwich? Without meat or cheese, I might add!”

“You haven’t traveled the world? They do in England.”

“They’re weird over there,” Mal waved his butter knife to make his point. “And don’t tell me I haven’t traveled the world. I was there for two weeks before they shipped us to France. They stuff a sheep’s stomach full of God-knows-what and call it dinner.”

“Haggis, and that’s from Scotland.”

“Haggis, Shmaggis, I don’t care if it’s from Timbuktu! It’s weird, I sez,” he shouted to Angie’s turned back.

“Cut the crusts off of the cucumber one,” she shot back and could just hear him curse under his breath, as she went out of the swinging door to talk to Peggy.

“Your order will be out in a jiff. Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer a tea?”

Peggy smiled and shook her head as she put her cup in the saucer, “Coffee’s five cents cheaper, and the tea here is like dried oak leaves.”

Angie gave an agreeing nod, “I think it’s the stuff they fished out of Boston Harbor after the Revolution. They give it out for spite.”

Peggy laughed and then shuddered as she thought about old tea that had been steeping in the harbor. 

Angie didn’t want the conversation to end, but she also was aware that she was hovering, so she started to wipe the already wiped counter adjacent to Peggy.

“I usually get to know my customers if I see them more than once, so what’s your story, Peggy? Been in The Big Apple long? Come with family?” Angie cringed a little inside, she thought her line of questioning might be too forward and when she was nervous, she tended to blurt all at once.

“I’ve been here a few months; came over for work, after the war. My Mum and Dad are still back at home, in England.”

“Met a fella in the Army?” Angie asked, trying to get it over with as quick as possible.

“Yes, as a matter of fact,” Peggy’s face darkened and Angie immediately regretted asking, she knew that look.

“Oh, I shouldn’t have…”

“No, it’s alright. I mean, it has been over two years since…”

“Say no more, I’ll get you a piece of key lime pie. On the house,” she added and then quickly turned on her heel, not taking any protest from Peggy.

Angie heard Mal’s call for her and went to the window. He sneered at her, “On the house, huh? That pie’s coming out of your wages,” he said, as he angrily put the plate in the window for her to take.

“It’s a quarter, Mal,” Angie shot back, and took out a piece of key lime from the icebox under the counter, “I’ve been pulling a double for the last two days; I’m practically rolling in it,” she said, with a defiant shrug as she deftly handled both plates and walked over to Peggy with a smile on her face, that she couldn’t seem to get to stop spreading.

“Here you go, Peggy. Enjoy.”

“Thanks, Angie,” Peggy beamed. “That pie does look lovely. I hope you didn’t go to any trouble.” There was the heart flutter again, Angie thought maybe she needed to see the doctor.

“If it was trouble, you wouldn’t be getting it, English,” she said, with a wry grin. “That pie is the best in the city, by the way. Junie makes them fresh every day,” she nodded, with pride towards one of the ladies in the kitchen.

“I’ll have to remember that.”

“So, you mentioned you came over for work. Not a factory, I hope? I hear for every two guys that come back from overseas, five girls lose their jobs.”

“No, not a factory per se. I work for the telephone company.”

“New York Bell?”

“That’s the one.”

“Can you get someone to fix the one in the booth over there? Some yutz pulled the receiver clean out of the box because his woman left him for some rich guy. Who ‘Dear John’s someone over the telephone? I tell ya, people are getting so nuts lately…”

Peggy blanched a little at what Angie just said, she finally asked, “Not…Howard Stark?”

“I don’t know, but the way I hear it, he’s got women in all corners of the world, so come to think of it, it coulda been,” she shrugged and moved on. “Anyway, Mal said the phone people told him two weeks before they can get anyone out. I know we just met and all, but I thought maybe you could use some influence?”

“I wish I had some,” Peggy said, a little forlornly.

“Meatheads keeping you from moving up?”

“Something like that.”

“Isn’t that always the way?” Angie looked genuinely concerned for her new friend.

“Miss, can I get a menu please?” A customer who had just sat down at a booth called in Angie’s direction. She looked around and didn’t see Carla who was supposed to be on booths. 

“I’ll see what I can do,” Peggy said, as Angie moved to get a menu for the customer.

“If it’s not too much trouble,” Angie replied in the same way that Peggy had earlier about the sandwiches.

Peggy wasn’t sure, but she thought she heard a slight mimicry of her accent, and instead of being insulted by it, it made another smile creep across her lips. Angie had been the first person since she met, her current roommate, Colleen, that had been genuinely nice to her and in this bustling city these days, that was a rare thing.

*****

The days passed by like this for a couple of weeks, Peggy would stop in for her breakfast, or dinner and sometimes to quickly pick up lunch for the boys back at the office. Angie wasn’t always there, but when she was, she’d make certain she was able to get in a few words with Peggy, especially if she wasn’t covering that part of the restaurant. However, towards the end of that first week, Angie started noticing that Peggy would make sure she knew which part was hers to serve, and sit there exclusively. Or at least that’s what she hoped was happening.

Unfortunately, in those weeks, some new developments started to worry Angie about her new friend. One, chiefly being a man with an English accent who was showing up at the L&L and sitting in the booth right behind Peggy. They had obviously wanted it to look like they weren’t paying attention to each other, but Angie watched the happenings over in that area of the restaurant with more than a little interest, and she could tell they were having conversations. The other development was that Peggy looked increasingly troubled this particular day, but she didn’t mention to Angie what it was, so when the fancy man came in and he and Peggy were doing their covert talking, she had hovered over the wall wiping down the windows of the food cubbies on the automat side and listened.

“Did she have any family?”

“She lost a brother at Guadalcanal…I’d only known her a few months,” Angie could hear the sadness in Peggy’s voice. “I needed a place to stay…I didn’t know anyone…”

Suddenly, Mal appeared in Angie’s line of sight and she tried not to notice him.

“Hey…you polish that window anymore and you’re gonna put a hole in it,” he said, before taking out one of the sandwiches for his coffee break.

Angie silently dismissed him and strained to catch what Peggy was saying.

“…habit of losing those closest to me. Perhaps ‘losing’ is too nice a word…”

“Angie,” Mal said, sternly, forcing her to look at him. “The windows are spic and span. I said I need you to refill the sugar containers up at the counter.” He pointed to the opposite wall as he shook his head walking away and mumbled, “I shoulda never hired an actress. Who knows what’s in their heads?” he sighed as he took his paper and went to a booth. “Guess I got a soft spot for the theater.”

When Angie was able to tune back in, the man was talking low, just out of comprehension range, she wished Mal hadn’t broken her concentration; after a few moments she could finally hear what he was saying.

“I read your war record. You are a credit to your profession. If the men in your office can’t see that then they are fools. You were trying to do something good, and I believe you accomplished it.”

“But was it _worth_ it?” Peggy asked, pleadingly.

“I don’t think we’ll know that until the job is truly done.”

Angie could see Mal glaring at her, so she finally had to stop listening or else incur his wrath and get found out for spying on Peggy and her fancy man.

She was very disappointed in having to stop, her curiosity was piqued to the highest of heights. She knew Peggy had been in the war, but she thought maybe she was just doing some desk job. Maybe something with communications which was why she now worked at the phone company. From what it sounded like; she had a really important role and how would that play into what she was helping Mr. Fancy with now?

She didn’t want to be that person that spies on their friends, but she also wanted to know if maybe Peggy was hurting or in trouble. The English woman didn’t give up much of herself, keeping everything close to the vest, regular poster woman for the famous British stiff upper lip. It was one of the things Angie admired about her as she got to know her, because she wished she could be more like that.

She filled the sugar containers and tried not to look at them as they continued their conversation, but every now and again she stole a few glances that way. Peggy sighed a few times and kept looking up to the ceiling, almost to ask its forgiveness. Angie again wished she knew what it was all about, and she hoped Peggy would be able to share it with her. The only thing that she had been able to gather was that she lost a friend, possibly a room-mate, but how she lost her, she didn’t know. Her brow furrowed as she tried to piece together what little conversation she had heard. She dismissed the thought that it was some sort of a breakup right away. She didn’t want to go down that line of thinking because that always led to disappointment when Angie realized they weren’t like her. After she replayed the words and the sound of Peggy’s voice over in her head, Angie guessed that her friend had recently died. Poor thing.

Myra came up to Angie from the side and said, “I’m here, Ange! You can go now.” She was so loud it made Angie jump and she spilled some sugar. Myra laughed and said, “You’re so jumpy, Martinelli! I get you every time!”

Mal, who had finished his break, put his dish and coffee cup in the bucket. “You’re cleaning that up, Myra,” he pointed at the smiling girl. “I ain’t paying Angie overtime just because you like to get your kicks scaring the living daylights out of her.”

“Tell your story walkin’, Mal,” she said, as she pointed her thumb towards the kitchen door. “For what you pay, it’s a wonder any of us are still here.” She looked at Angie and gave her a sideways hug. “Sorry, kid,” she said, as the hug ended. “Hey, you better get going, don’t you have another audition?”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Angie looked at her watch and sighed, “I’ll just make the 5:45.” Myra started cleaning the sugar from the counter and Angie went to the backroom to grab her coat and purse.

As Angie was leaving, she gave a last glance over in Peggy’s direction, to her surprise, Peggy was watching her leave with what she hoped might be some disappointment at them not getting to speak more than they did. Angie gave her an encouraging smile that she hoped would also show she was one to be trusted with stories, emotions and comfort. She really didn’t want to leave and wanted nothing more than to walk right up to Peggy’s table, sit down and have her tell her everything about what she was saying to her man friend. She also wanted to know what he was to her. She wanted to know everything. But that wasn’t really Angie’s style. Well, it was completely her style, but she wasn’t in the snooping business really, her friends usually confided in her, so she didn’t have to do any prying, except the usual ‘What’s wrong?’ but with Peggy she knew it would take more than that. So, with another look towards the back booth and a small nod goodbye, she sighed and made her way out of the door, walking quickly to the subway stop.

There was a bit of a chill in the air, and she pulled her coat tighter around herself. She couldn’t stop thinking about what could be wrong with Peggy and what happened with her friend. Angie hoped for what seemed like the thousandth time that day, that the woman she was falling in love with would be able to confide in her soon. Her mind did a double take as she descended the stairs of the subway and she slowed her pace. She thought about that particular sentiment.

It wasn’t that Angie was in love, exactly. She was just concerned for her new friend and wanted to be there for her to confide in. To share the burden of being a young female in a big city who wants to make it in their job. That was it.

Who was she kidding? She had seen Peggy and her heart had raced. And every time since she has had to fight off a huge smile when she sees or thinks about her, for fear she might give away her true feelings. Although she could admit that much, she dared not give a name to what she felt. Nine years ago, she tried to tell her best friend Nancy that she liked a girl, and Nancy stopped speaking to her in that way that friends sometimes do when they don’t want to hurt your feelings, but it kills you inside all the same.

Then there was her first roommate, who after a year of mixed signals and missed opportunities, begged her to move in with her. And wouldn’t you know it, that very same friend, after finally saying she thought she loved Angie, and spending many happy nights in her bed, up and got married six months later to a guy she had met in a dancehall.

Since then, she has made it a goal not to tell anyone that she prefers the company of women over men, and try as she might, definitely not to fall for anyone else. She feels it’ll be simpler this way. It’s one of the reasons she came to the city to live at The Griffith, and it’s also the main reason she wants to be an actress. For one, she knows with absolute certainty that she can pretend to be someone that she’s not, and secondly, she likes the free attitudes of most of the people involved in showbusiness. She just wished the people who were in charge of giving her a shot would see the talent that she knows she has so that she can get steady work. She doesn’t have to be a star, although the pay would be welcomed, she just wants to be able to say that she had put her mind to something and made it happen. ‘She can do it!’ As the Rosie the Riveter poster used to tout. She can also be there as a friend for Peggy, listening to her troubles, giving advice, gossiping when needed, and providing a shoulder to cry on. As she steels her resolve and gets in the subway car, she’s determined she’s not going to fail this audition, and she’s not going to fail her new friend.

But most of all, she’s not going to fall in love. She hoped.

*****

When she sees Peggy in her booth the next day, she’s alone and Angie’s happy for that. For all her steel and resolve yesterday, bombing her audition last night makes her feel like she needs to talk and get it out, and with no Mr. Fancy today in the booth behind, she’ll be able to get in more conversation than just ‘Hi, how are you? What’ll you have?’. Plus, she might be able to get Peggy to talk about what’s been troubling her lately.

As she comes out of the backroom, she spies yet another sullen and wistful look on Peggy’s face, at whatever’s in the paper. ‘Okay, here goes,” Angie thinks, as she crosses the restaurant quickly, ‘I failed last night, but I don’t have to fail today.’ She does what she learned from Myra, and comes silently up from behind to look over Peggy’s shoulder, not to scare her, but so she can see whatever it is that has her looking so forlorn. It’s that Howard Stark guy splashed big and bold over the headline. Apparently, he’s selling weapons to the enemy. ‘Figures,’ she thinks. Peggy had mentioned him that first day they got to know each other and her thoughts turn devastating, ‘Maybe Peg is sweet on him, maybe he’s stringing her along, telling her he’s going to marry her and then stepping out with other dolls.’ Angie quickly decided to turn Peggy’s attention to the picture of the other man in the paper.

The dead one.

“I saw him once at a USO show in Passaic, you could eat _him_ with a spoon,” she said, putting the throaty need into her voice that she had used on one of her auditions the other day.

“Yes, I understand he was quite something,” Peggy sounded even more sad than she had looked.

“Everything alright, English?” Angie moved to face her.

“Fine Angie, if you don’t count work.”

“Boys at the phone company giving you a hard time,” she said, knowingly.

“No more than usual, it’s just…during the war, I had a sense of purpose, responsibility. But now, I…connect the calls, but I never get a chance to make them, d’you know what I mean?”

Angie felt a true connection to that statement. She looked around conspiratorially before sitting down to tell Peggy about her audition downtown. She had meant the little pep talk as a way to show her that she shouldn’t give up, just because the jerks in her life were trying to keep her down. She definitely _did not_ mean to reveal that she had been checking out Peggy’s legs. The oaf who called out for her to complain over his BLT was actually a welcomed distraction, hopefully to gloss over what she had just said.

Peggy however, was pretty sorry to see her slide out of the booth and go off to the loud, obnoxious man to invariably take punishment for something she didn’t do. It was a lot of what Peggy had to deal with, and she was mostly sorry because Angie’s pep-talk did more for her than she could have known. Even the bit about her legs.

That part had made her heart soar a little. Not that she wanted to be seen as a sexual object as such, but that someone noticed her for her, and not just a person that can fulfill an order. She saw a kindred spirit in Angie, one she had seen that first really busy day in the L&L, and one she kept coming in to get to know a little more about each time.

It was a spirit she recognized in Steve in 1943. And in 1940, in Geneviève.


	2. Love Is Blind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The SOE has a new recruit in Margaret "Peggy" Carter, and her skills are needed in France.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to all the women and men who fought to resist tyranny. It’s a sentiment that never goes out of style and it’s sorely needed now.

_July 1940, near the South-East Coast of England_

“Carter, don’t look so green. You’ve had your training, you have proved to be a formidable force, why so nervous?” Vera Atkins, asked Peggy, as they were being driven to a dock near Dover. Vera was an assistant to Col. Buckmaster, section head of the SOE and one of the people responsible for sending covert operatives into German Occupied territory in France.

“I don’t know, I guess I’d never thought I’d be in the fight _physically_ ,” she said, a little worriedly.

“Thought you’d be a code-breaker in Bletchley for the duration, eh?”

“Until I married, yes.”

“Well, I know quality when I see it, young lady, and you have that certain something in spades.”

“Butterflies?” Peggy asked, cheekily.

“No,” Vera had to laugh in spite of herself. “For lack of a better word, you have determination. You’re not going to just sit on the sidelines and watch as the world crumbles. I can see it in your eyes.”

“I’m glad you do…” Peggy trailed off as the Land Rover slowed to their destination.

“Right, ready?”

“No, but I guess that doesn’t matter?”

“Never. You’ll be in good hands,” Vera said, as she gave Peggy’s knee an encouraging squeeze, then got out of the vehicle and implored her to follow her to the dock where two men were waiting. “This is Jean and this other miscreant is Sébastien. Bonjour, ça va?” she asked, with a lighthearted laugh as she kissed each of them on both cheeks. “Messieurs, this is Peggy Carter, one of the SOE’s newest recruits.”

“Mais oui, ça va bien, as a matter of fact,” Jean said, as he looked wolfishly at Peggy, then gave a playful smile as he shook her hand. “Don’t listen to her, Mademoiselle Carter. We’re the best of the best, and we’ll have you as one of us in no time.”

“They’re going to take you to your rendezvous point, there you’ll meet someone who will take you to meet-”

“La Joconde,” Jean finished for her, with an irreverent glint in his eyes. “And her band of merry idiots.”

Vera pushed him back indignantly, “He means, Geneviève Boucher. I call her Gen.” The name was pronounced in the English style ‘Jen’.

“Does she resemble the Mona Lisa?” Peggy asked.

“The opposite, in fact, but these two enfoirés love their little nicknames.”

“It’s better than the real one,” Sébastien pouted.

Peggy looked at him inquisitively.

“The butcher,” he shuddered.

“She’s one…how you say…’tough cookie’?” Jean added.

Vera continued when Peggy cocked an eyebrow at her, “She’s severe looking, ice cubes stay solid in her mouth, always frightfully serious and she may be small, but she’s said to have killed five Nazis with her bare hands.”

Peggy gaped at Vera, “Not at one time, surely?”

“I wouldn’t get on her bad side, Carter,” Vera laughed and pulled her into a hug. “You’ll be just fine. Now,” she said, as she ended the hug and looked at her seriously, while Jean and Sébastien got in the skiff that would be their transportation to their rendezvous spot near Calais. “Trust no one; seriously, don’t let Gen intimidate you, and report back every five days unless it’s critical. You understand?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“Good,” she said, and gave Peggy another short hug. “Alright, you wannabe devil dogs of the sea, Churchill is expecting us to strike while the iron is hot; let’s get cracking!” she said forcefully, without shouting too loud and helped Peggy into the boat. She gave a short wave as it pulled away and melted into the blackness. “God help them.”

Going into the German occupied territory of France through the coast was extremely risky, but they had intelligence that one of the areas near Calais was infiltrated by the resistance, and their landing would be as safe as it could get. The boat jumped and jostled as it sped towards the coast. Peggy tried not to show her nerves.

“Ça va, Carter?”

“Ça va bien, Jean,” She smiled reassuringly. “Just a bit cold.”

“Do you have your frog suit on under your coat?”

She nodded.

“Bon,” he smiled and it made her relax and smile back. “Eh…it is you who we should call ‘La Joconde’. “Mais no, Sébastien?”

“Oui, I can see the resemblance,” Sébastien agreed.

“Thank you,” Peggy said quietly, as she cast her eyes downward and tried not to smile wider. She was grateful it was dark out so they couldn’t see her blush.

Jean regarded her silently for a while, then asked, “Did Vera give you the ‘trust no one’ speech?”

She nodded.

“This is good,” he said, with a serious look. “It’s a really scary time in our operation. Our chief operative was betrayed and arrested a few days ago, along with more than twenty of his people. We managed to stay under their radar, but we’re small in number.”

“Yes, Vera filled me in. We’re trying to liberate them from the jail they’re in.”

“And Geneviève is trying to find the betrayer so she can behead them,” he laughed.

“Is she really that tough? Killed five Nazis with her bare hands?”

He nodded, “She is as Vera said, small but deadly. Her surname is Boucher ‘The Butcher’,” he translated into English again for effect, in case Peggy hadn’t caught the reference from Sébastien earlier. “But only as an alias, it’s not her real name, which no one knows. She gained it because of all she is said to have killed.”

Peggy couldn’t help but be impressed and terrified all at once. She had a picture of some short, severe looking woman with a shaved head and tattoos all over, who barked out orders and killed people for the slightest infraction.

Therefore, she was completely not prepared for what she saw when she actually met Geneviève after they had landed at their rendezvous point and she was smuggled away to her destination.

Once the introductions were all done, and toasts were made to their health with a good enough wine over dinner, she found herself alone with the woman in question and suddenly she felt more nervous than when she was in the truck speeding towards the Dover coast.

The first thing she had noticed about Geneviève was her stature. The reports had been correct, she’d put her at about 5’4” at the most, and she was slight. But the thing she was most surprised over was the fact that she was beautiful. Not the severe looking mad dog of a woman that she had envisioned, but young, vibrant and classically beautiful. Her golden-brown hair, had soft curls flowing down to her shoulders, she had red plump lips that most girls she knew at school would have killed for, and eyes that were strikingly clear and alive. 

“Why do you stare at me?” Geneviève said, breaking Peggy from her thoughts. A glass of something that smelled like elderflower had been shoved into her hand.

“I uh…” Peggy looked down at the glass before speaking again, “I thought you’d look different.”

“Those buffoons in the boat have been filling your head with lies about me, çais vrais?”

“I don’t know, they…”

“They are…comment dites-vous en anglais? Jack-asses?”

Peggy smiled and looked at Geneviève who to her surprise was smiling as well. Besides the warm smile, she was drawn to her eyes again. They were piercing, and she couldn’t tell if they were blue, grey, hazel or all three at once.

“Drink up…now, what should I call you?”

“Peggy will do.”

“You haven’t been given an alias?”

“I have a code name,” she said, not really wanting to say what it was.

“It’s not the same, you need an alias.”

“I wasn’t told I needed one.”

“Oh, you need one. Unless you want to be hunted like a dog for the rest of your life.”

“Ummm…” Peggy said, as she looked away and thought.

“What is your full name?”

“Margaret Elizabeth Carter,” Peggy offered up without question.

Geneviève smirked and regarded her with a sideways glance, “Vera didn’t give you the talk, eh?”

Peggy blushed and realized she had made a mistake, and then she thought of Vera’s words, “Don’t let Gen intimidate you.”

“Well, she did, I just thought maybe you were the one trustworthy person here.”

Geneviève smiled at that, “Good answer, Margaret Elizabeth Carter. But now…the alias. Hmmm,” The French woman narrowed her eyes at Peggy and took a couple of steps back and forth in front of her as she thought. “Marguerite…Marguerite…Rita…Rita…Rita Hayworth is taken,” she smiled at Peggy who smiled back. “How about…Caro? Rita Caro.” She said with some satisfaction as she thought. “With your complexion and dark hair, you’d pass for Italian, maybe Spanish nobility, mais oui?’

“If you think so,” Peggy was skeptical but she was impressed with how quickly Genevieve came to a decision on a pretty solid alias.

“I think so,” she smirked at Peggy. “Bon, let’s drink to your new name. Rita,” Geneviève lifted her glass for a toast and it caused her shirtsleeve, which was rolled up a little, to reveal a tattoo on her forearm. Peggy’s eyes immediately were drawn to it but she quickly recovered and completed the toast.

“Cheers,” she said, as she took a swig of the elderflower schnapps. “Ohhhh…”

Geneviève gulped hers in one shot and banged the glass down on the table.

“That ‘puts the hair on the chest’, as they say, non?”

“Yes…it does…”

“I thought you were made of stronger stuff, Marguerite. Your brother used to tell me stories of his sister who could drink him under the table.”

Michael.

“He-he was exaggerating, Geneviève.”

“Please call me, Gen,” She pronounced it in the English way that Vera had.

“Gen.” she said correcting herself. “I could never really keep up and he’d have to carry me upstairs to my bed.”

“Somehow I doubt that,” Gen said, as she topped up Peggy’s glass. “Although, I wouldn’t mind…” She trailed off, stopping herself from finishing with ‘having to carry you to your bed’.

“I’m sorry?”

“Ce n’est rien. Drink!”

“Last one, I’d like to keep a clear head, I know we have a very hard road ahead.”

“But of course, Rita. And we’re going to get started soon enough. Now, first things first,” she said, authoritatively, as she stoppered the bottle of the clear liquid with a deft punch of her palm to the cork. “What did they tell you about me?”

“Well…”

“And don’t try to save their stinking hides.”

“They said you’ve killed at least five Nazis with your bare hands.”

“Six,” she said quickly correcting her, then she turned her hand from side to side as she thought more about it, “Mmmm, but I guess we don’t count the sixth as a Nazi, more of a fascist. Never mind. What else?”

“Vera said that ice wouldn’t melt in your mouth.”

She laughed out loud at that, “My mouth can be quite hot, I assure you…” The way she said that and looked at Peggy made her think of one of those cartoons they play before a feature film, where the dog looks at the cat like it’s a big juicy chop. “But she’s right, when I am all business, I can be as cold and as calculating as the rest of those Nazi scum,” she said, disgustedly and punctuated it with a pretend spit on the floor. “That’s how you beat them at their own game. Anything else?”

“Uhhhmm,” Peggy tried to think, she was still trying to process the look Geneviève had given her. “They-they said you were severe.”

Geneviève let out a chuckle, “Oh, bless them. I am severe to a point, to get the job done. But don’t worry, Rita,” she smiled and wiggled her eyebrows. “I know to have fun, eh?” Peggy believed her. “Now, anything else you want to know about me?”

Peggy hesitated, then said finally, “The tattoo on your forearm.”

Gen looked at it and downed the drink in her glass in one shot again.

“That’s my little souvenir, eh? From my time in the camps.”

“You were at Auschwitz?” Peggy had read the reports of the concentration camps, and that the one they called Auschwitz, which was also an extermination camp, was tattooing their prisoners with numbers to identify them.

“Yes,” came the austere voice after a while.

‘Cold and severe’ thought Peggy. She immediately understood what well Gen pulled from when she had to get tough.

“What does the triangle mean next to the numbers?”

Geneviève smiled and thought before pulling the stopper out of the bottle and pouring herself another drink; she again downed it in one shot and then pointed the glass at Peggy.

“Something for me to know and for you to find out,” she said with a devilish glint in her eyes. Then more seriously, “I’m glad the clothes fit you.”

“I’m glad you had them waiting for me. I didn’t get a chance to pack.”

“Well, it’s not as if you were going on the Empress of Britain for a pleasure cruise. It’s good,” Gen regarded her and Peggy got that feeling again that she was a big succulent chop. “That sweater suits you.”

“Thank you,” Peggy said, blushing.

After that, Gen declared the pleasantries over, and they talked strategy with the other resistance fighters for the rest of the night.

As Peggy lay on her bed later, she thought about the tattoo on Gen’s arm and what the symbol might mean, she also thought of the look Gen had given her and how it made her feel. It was a little confusing, but she nodded off to a not-so-unpleasant feeling that night.

*****

Much later, she awoke with a start to a woman’s voice speaking in very low toned French, and she could tell she was angry.

“Don’t give me that bullshit, Leon! If I ask you to go back out there and find that piece of shit, you’ll do it, because it’s all we have! If that bastard has the slightest inclination of me or you, or anyone in our group, he’ll give us up as fast as you can blink!”

“But ma petite…I’m tired, my men are tired, we just need a few hours…”

“We’re ALL tired, Leon,” she sighed. “I don’t ask anything of you or them that I wouldn’t do myself. You had a good lead on him, I know you can follow that up and find him. It’s not as if I’m asking you to drink the sea!”

“Not in one day, no…just in a week, eh?”

She laughed softly, clearly frustrated but trying to calm herself.

“Mon chèr, I’m sorry. I know I ask too much. I’m too jumpy these days. I look into a mouse hole and I see the enemy standing on my throat. I see…the camps…their faces…staring back at me, pleading for me to do something for them, as they die,” her voice had waivered, but then towards the end of the sentence had some of that steely ice to it, and then she went silent.

“You’ve been going for days, now, mon cœur,” Leon said. “Days. You can’t keep that pace up. No one can.”

“The Germans seem to be able to do it just fine,” she laughed, incredulously.

“And they will pay the price for it. Just give us three hours. Three. I will be back out there with my men…”

“What do you need done?” Peggy said, in French, her heart beating in her throat.

“My champion,” Gen said, as she regarded Peggy standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Then she clicked her tongue off of her teeth as she shook her head. “I wouldn’t throw you in the fire like that, ma chèrie. Not on your first day.”

“You need something done, I’ve had my rest, now it’s time for action. No?”

Gen looked at Leon and he shrugged his shoulders, “Who is your friend?”

“Sorry, where are my manners? Rita Caro, this is Leon Lefebvre. “The head of our little maquis.”

“Titular head,” he said, as he took off his cap and stood up with an outstretched hand.

Peggy stared at him with awe, he was easily 6’6” and bulky, he had to stoop because of the low ceiling in the farmhouse kitchen. He had dark, longish hair and a dark beard to match.

“This particular band?” she asked, as she shook the proffered hand.

“No, the whole glorious resistance,” Gen said, with a flourish and moved to the small stove to heat up a pan for the eggs she had cracked into a bowl.

“As I said, I am the head in name only,” he let go of Peggy’s hand and waved his cap in Gen’s direction. “She’s the head of the whole damned thing.”

Peggy looked towards Gen with something akin to both puzzlement and pride, “The whole French Resistance?”

“Yes, she’s the Jeanne D’Arc of our times,” he said, with the same flourish that Gen had used to describe his role. Then he shrugged his shoulders and said, “Maybe not the whole thing, but we are the most important cog in the occupied territory, and she is the one that makes it turn.”

Gen snorted at that, “Psssh, and I can’t get you to obey an order.”

“It will get carried out by Rita,” Leon said, with a confident look at Peggy.

“I can do whatever you need me to do,” she agreed, with her own confident look.

Leon fixed a smirk at the back of Gen’s head.

“Don’t you say it, Leon, you horses’ ass,” she said, without having to look at him.

“I’m sorry?” Peggy asked.

“Nothing, he’s just being a pig.”

“I was going to say that she’s the best leader we’ve ever had. Smart, tough, and with as big of a heart as she is short in stature,” Leon gave an innocent look.

“That makes no sense, you brute,” Gen said, as she finished cooking the eggs and plated them for those turning up to eat.

“What is all the yelling about?” A redhaired man they called Fox asked, while lazily rubbing his stomach.

“Leon needs his rest, apparently. I’ll need you and the Stooge to sniff out that Alsatian turd. _Marty_ ,” she said the name, bitterly.

“Right after I have my breakfast.”

“Now. We don’t have much time, Fox. I’ll give you some bread to eat while you put your shoes on and get your weapons.”

“Is Rita coming with us?” he asked. Peggy surmised he must have heard the discussion like she did.

Peggy looked at Gen expectantly hoping she had changed her mind.

“Not today,” she said, finally, without looking at Peggy and sat down at the long table as the others filed in and took their food. Fox took two portions of bread and went off to get the one they called The Stooge, Édouard. He wasn’t really a stooge, he just looked like one.

Their breakfast was eaten in relative quiet. Only small quick conversations were taking place as the food was consumed steadily. Peggy felt relieved and disappointed all at once. Leon looked at her from across the long but narrow table and leaned in closer to whisper, “Don’t be disappointed, Rita. You’ll get your start soon enough.”

“I know, I just hope I didn’t give off an untrustworthy vibe.”

He shook his head, “Not possible, one only has to look at you and know that you are trustworthy. Besides, your reputation proceeds you through your brother.”

She nodded, “So I gathered.”

“He was a good fighter,” He said, sadly. Then, “You have my sympathies.”

Peggy’s eyes grew moist at that, “Thank you,” she whispered back.

“What’s that?” Gen called, from further down the table.

“Nothing, ma petite. We were just conspiring, that’s all,” he said, and gave Peggy a wink. The rest of the table laughed. Gen’s eyes narrowed at him.

“Why are you the titular head of this maquis, Leon?” Peggy asked, feeling the need to change the subject and also to finish the discussion from earlier.

“Because the British couldn’t understand how a woman could be the head of a group of guerillas or a Liberation Committee, let alone practically the whole French Resistance.”

“Leon, you talk such rot,” Gen said, as she got up and put her dish in the sink. “Get some rest, you have to be back out there in three hours.”

He sighed at that, “No rest for the wicked, eh?” he asked, as he wiggled his eyebrows at Peggy.

“I guess not,” she said, with a smile as she got up from her seat and started to help clear the table.

“Chèrie, you don’t have to do that, you weren’t brought here to be a maid,” Gen said, as she pointed to a piece of paper on the wall. “There’s a list, DeCouvier is next in line to clean. Just put your plate in the sink.”

The one known as DeCouvier, smiled at Peggy, “I’m the goat today.”

“Sorry,” she said, quietly as she put her plate in the sink.

“Don’t be,” he shrugged, as he began to fill the sink with the water from a pot that had been boiling on the stove. “Is it not better to do the washing in the sink, then the dying in the street?”

Peggy smiled and made her way back to her bed. She had smiled at DeCouvier’s defeatist attitude, but it unsettled her a little. She was a bit restless and didn’t know what to do next, she wanted to be doing something with her training, she wanted action. As she passed by Gen’s room, she heard her name.

“Marguerite,” Gen whispered and motioned for Peggy to enter. She closed the door behind her. “You are not upset that I didn’t let you go out today?”

“Not…” Peggy trailed off, looking into the piercing eyes.

“Tell the truth.”

“A little,” Peggy said, trying not to look too hurt. Gen took her hand into hers.

“I admire your willingness to throw yourself into the fire. However, you are not yet familiar with all the intricacies of the area. Of who to trust, and who not to.”

Peggy looked into the blue eyes that grew dark, like a storm that was brewing in the sky. She spotted a fleck of brown, then searched the other orb to see another fleck, and another.

“I will learn,” Peggy said, softly.

“I know you will,” Gen put her hand over Peggy’s as she gazed into her eyes. Then after a bit, brought the back of her hand to her soft lips. Peggy drew in a sharp breath as she felt the kiss, the lips warm and supple in the cold, early morning. Gen ended the kiss after a few more moments and brought her eyes back up to meet Peggy’s. “I have complete faith in you, Marguerite.”

“Thank you,” Peggy said, sincerely. “I won’t let you down.”

“I know.”

Gen then turned her attention to some papers on her bureau. “Now chèrie, go see, Grenardier, he’ll fill you in on your main role.”

Peggy left the room in a state of puzzlement. She wasn’t completely certain what she was feeling, but it wasn’t unlike the joy she felt when she would pledge to her dolls that she would vanquish the dragon and cut off its head for them.

Over the next few weeks, Peggy learned more than she thought she could of what it took to run an underground resistance unit. She saw the clever tactics they were using to disrupt the Nazi operation: cutting of their tele-communications, working as double agents to peddle misinformation, operating printing presses to spread propaganda that would help their cause and making clever bombs that resembled cow pats. She mostly worked side by side with Geneviève and learned what made her a capable leader. She could reduce men, almost double her size, to bumbling idiots with her interrogation techniques that, surprisingly, didn’t involve violence.

As she got to know her more and more each day, she was completely in awe of her smarts, her decisiveness and her warmth.

Her warmth.

That was something she didn’t think was possible, that this woman who was in charge of a large and important group in the resistance, would be able to give orders like she did, and also comfort with real empathy. There were many nights that the reports from the towns around them would be smuggled to her through the network of people helping them gather intel, and there would be someone who was reported to be dead or missing. Geneviève would say something about them, and hold a moment of silence. If anyone knew them and were upset, they would be taken to the little drawing room, given a glass of whatever liquor was available and they would talk or cry to Gen for however long it took them to get it out. Peggy admired that capacity in her. It’s something she’d hope she was able to do for people when the time came. Each day she learned a little more about Gen, and enjoyed the playful banter and flirting that they shared.

Everyone had agreed that since Peggy had arrived, Gen’s mood was worlds better from what it had been, and were grateful to her that she was able to lift the severe mask that she had fitted herself with the past few years. She was still mostly business during the day, but when they were weary or things had been particularly tense, Peggy would tell a joke, or give Gen a gentle squeeze of the arm, and a glorious smile would break out on her lips. Leon had remarked more than once, that Peggy had saved them all from Gen’s self-destruction. That gave her not only increased confidence in herself, but of a sense of duty to administer comfort, clear-headed decision making and counsel to Gen and the others when needed.

They all had taken Peggy in as one of their own so completely that it also gave her a sense of belonging and camaraderie that she had only ever really felt with her brother.

When she was alone in her bed at night, she would think back over the little endearments and compliments Gen had given her that day, accompanied by a smile that Peggy thought could light up a moonless night. It was clear that she was falling in love, and at first it had scared her, but then as the days passed, it intrigued her more and more. And it started to give her comfort. If she was going to die, better that it was doing something noble, and alongside someone of whom she could be proud, and could love. More and more each day she let herself think of the word love when it came to Gen, especially in the quietude of her bed at night.

If only she could be so bold as to tell Gen how she was feeling, she could see if maybe she felt the same, or at least to see where it would go. After that first week of wolfish looks and heavy flirting, Gen had eased up and treated her more like a best friend, and although Peggy wasn’t complaining, because Gen’s favor was really a great thing, she was worried that maybe she had only been playing with Peggy initially to see if she could intimidate her. After a long while thinking of things like this, she would scold herself to stop acting like a child with her head in the clouds and told herself to get good rest to be able to do the important work that never ended. She would sleep soundly and dream of piercing blue eyes with flecks of green and brown, honey kissed brown flowing hair and a smile that lit up the room.

***

It had been ten weeks since Rousseau and the others had been captured by the Gestapo, and they were no closer to finding them. Everyone was tense and operating on little sleep, working non-stop to not only sabotage the Nazi’s but also to find any information they could to help find those who had betrayed their fellow resisters. Peggy had lately been tasked with mapping out routes that they could use to carry out their sabotage of the telecommunications plants, and electrical power grids across the west of the occupied territory that fed to Paris.

After one particularly hard day, she found herself next on the list for the cleaning and sighed.

“What’s the matter, ma petite?” Came the gentle voice from the doorway. Gen was standing there, leaned up against the doorframe.

Peggy smiled and slowly rolled her head over her shoulders to look at Gen. “I’m on cleaning duty,” she said, with a pout.

“Oui, you are on cleaning duty,” Gen shrugged. “And this is such a bad thing that you ruin your skin with the frown lines?”

“I know, I just wasn’t prepared for it. I’m tired and…”

“And it’s been such a hard day that your back feels like breaking, your neck aches and you think if you look at another map your eyeballs will roll out of their sockets and plop on the floor,” Gen moved towards Peggy and accentuated her visual description with two popping sounds that were just like eyeballs plopping on the ground.

That made Peggy laugh, but then she groaned as she rolled her head around on her shoulders and felt the tension.

“Ooh, Chèrie, you must have been looking at those maps for hours.”

Peggy realized she had been bending over the maps on the table for quite a while and cursed herself for being such a child again.

“Come here,” Gen said, softly and motioned for Peggy to sit on the chair that was just in front of her.

“No, Gen. I’ll be okay, I’ve got to get the dishes done and then…”

“Then nothing,” Gen said, this time adding a little authority to her voice. “You’ll come over here and sit your ass in this chair because your boss said so, _Rita_.”

Peggy decided not to protest further and did as she was told. When she felt the two strong hands on her shoulders, she stiffened.

“Oh no, ma petite, don’t worry. These bare hands are going to do no harm,” Gen said, in a soothing tone. “They’re only going to work those nasty little kinks out of your shoulders and neck.”

Peggy tried harder to relax, but that’s the thing about trying to do something when you tell yourself to do it, it almost never works out. Besides, after her feelings about Gen in the last few weeks, her body trembled from her touch and even though she wanted to be bold and brave, she still wasn’t ready to reveal what she felt.

As Gen worked her incredibly strong hands over Peggy’s shoulders, she finally started to relax in spite of herself.

“There you go, ma petite,” Gen said, encouragingly. “I can feel the tension melting away.”

Peggy chuckled and then let out a low groan as Gen hit a particularly tender spot in her shoulder.

“What is funny, Chèrie?”

“Nothing…”

“No, please, I like funny things,” Gen softly pleaded.

“It’s just that, well, you call people ‘ma petite’ and you are…”

“Shorter than them, I know, this irony is not lost on myself,” Gen chuckled. “It’s why I do it. One of my ways to get even at the gods for making me so small. I blame Leon for stealing all of my food when we were children.”

Peggy groaned again as Gen moved her hands to knead the base of her neck.

“You’ve known Leon since childhood?” Peggy asked, after a while.

“I should, we are brother and sister.”

Peggy was shocked at that, they looked nothing alike, except maybe the look in the eyes, come to think of it. They had the same devilish manner when the mood struck them. But Leon’s eyes were almost black, and Gen’s were piercingly blue, most days anyway. When she was stressed or angry, the color seemed to change.

“I wouldn’t have guessed,” Peggy said, in amazement.

“I know, it’s because he’s a giant, clumsy, ugly oaf, and I am small, graceful, and deadly beautiful.”

Peggy groaned again as the strong hands worked their magic on all the spots she needed. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she heard Gen draw breath in shakily and it made her feel something she hadn’t felt in a long while. It started low in her stomach, a delicious feeling that spread quickly to other parts of her body. Parts she didn’t think much of these days, given the type of work they were doing and how busy they were.

“Chèrie,” Gen said, breathily and moved her hands to knead Peggy’s back. “I didn’t realize I was working you so hard.”

“Mmmmmmm,” was all Peggy could reply.

“Mon dieu,” Gen breathed and whispered. “This massage is going to kill me.”

Peggy worried she was hurting Gen’s hands.

“Oh, please, don’t hurt yourself on my account…”

“Don’t think of it, Chèrie, I’m only hurting in the good way.”

That delicious feeling intensified at those words. She couldn’t believe she could make this beautiful woman feel that way. Peggy’s breath hitched as she thought about what Gen might be feeling and she heard a beautiful sound behind her. Gen had let out her own low groan.

The massage went on, Gen moving lower on Peggy’s back, masterfully working her fingers over her shoulder blades and chasing any tension and tenderness that had been there away.

At this point, Peggy couldn’t keep track of how many times she moaned, it was all so good and she started to feel a little guilty.

“Gen,” Peggy said, with a moan.

“Chèrie?” Gen pretended she didn’t hear the need in Peggy’s voice.

“Your hands…”

“What about them?”

“They’re…” Peggy stopped to groan again.

“Tell me, Marguerite,” Gen implored, after a few moments.

“…heavenly…I feel…” Another pause for a moan.

“Dis moi, comment tu te sens…”

“I feel… _loved,_ ” Peggy breathed out, she couldn’t really stop what she was saying before she said it, but once she did, she really didn’t care. Her whole body was buzzing with something she hadn’t felt since she was engaged to Fred and she didn’t want it to stop.

“You are so sweet, Chèrie,” Gen shifted herself until she was standing beside Peggy, and moved her hands in her hair to massage her scalp. “But it’s just the massage.”

Peggy’s heart clenched at that. She was suddenly worried she had said too much. This usually wasn’t like her, she wasn’t so free with telling people how she felt, maybe it was the war, maybe it was the danger they were in, or maybe she was starved for human contact, no matter who it was.

But it _wasn’t_ just that, it was everything she had thought while she was laying in her bed at night. She also knew now that she had felt something for Gen the first night they met. Oddly enough at first, she had felt because of Gen’s size, she needed to protect her; even though she was told stories of her ruthlessness, when she saw her, she surmised they had been pulling her leg. She had been drawn to both her beauty and her strength equally. She was smitten and she didn’t care if she told her now, she’d have to take whatever reaction she got, because she wanted the truth out in the open between them.

“It’s not just that,” Peggy said, trying hard to control her voice. The scalp massage was ramping up her libido to heights she didn’t think were possible and it made it extremely hard to think.

“It should be,” Gen said, after a few more moments, and stopped the massage, causing Peggy to turn her head and look up at her.

Gen held Peggy’s face in her hands, “You don’t know what you are saying, Marguerite.”

“I do know,” Peggy said firmly, staring into what were now dark pools of blue.

“No, you just think you do. You are tired, we’ve been working you too hard and now you are-”

“Stop it, Gen. I know what I’m talking about, please don’t mock me when I’m trying to tell you how I feel. If you don’t feel the same, that’s fine, but I don’t like to be ridiculed.” Peggy started to get up from the chair, and Geneviève firmly held her seated by putting her hands on both shoulders.

“Don’t, ma chèrie, I am sorry. Stay, I want to explain.”

Peggy sat back and waited while Gen gathered her thoughts.

“You surprised me, Marguerite. I’m sorry for…” Gen stopped herself as a million things raced through her mind. She didn’t want to hurt Peggy, so she had to quickly replay what she was wanting to say in her head. “It’s true, I do like you.” She looked into Peggy’s eyes. “I thought my shameless wolf like looks at you and even this massage were not harming you, just torturing myself.”

“What do you mean?”

Gen sighed, “I didn’t think you’d actually feel the same, I had hoped, but I thought that maybe I would get some thrill out of flirting with you…and then your friendship was so invaluable, I didn’t want to ruin that with my… _condition_ ,” She framed Peggy’s face with her hands and looked deeply into her brown eyes. “And now…”

“And now?” Peggy said, after a short while.

“Now, I don’t know…”

Peggy’s heart sunk, she was afraid it was all a game to Gen and she would be the punchline in a big joke.

“Oh, I see,” Peggy said and turned to face the table.

“No, you don’t,” Gen said quickly, “but I somehow can’t explain it right, the words they’re getting scrambled in my brain. Talking in English doesn’t really help that and I don’t want to make you hurt or mad.”

“No, I understand, I got it wrong. It’s okay, Gen,” Peggy said, trying to sound convincing. “Thank you for the massage. I’ll be able to do the dishes and then get back to the plans.” She said with a firm nod and pushed her chair back from the table to stand. Gen slipped in the space in front of her and stopped her from standing again. This time she took one of Peggy’s hands into hers.

“Ma chèrie, please,” she said, softly. “Please just sit and let me explain. It’s hard.”

“You don’t have to…”

“Shhh, please, I promise. I’ll get it out,” Gen said, and swallowed. Peggy was surprised to see the nervousness in this strong woman’s face. “You didn’t get it wrong, Chèrie. You saw…the looks I gave, the kiss to your hand that first night in my room. A blind bat would have been able to sniff out my thoughts,” she said, with a small chuckle and looked at Peggy’s hand in hers. “At first I thought Vera was doing this to torture me…”

“Doing what?”

“Sending you to me…”

“I don’t understand,” Peggy said, trying not to jump to conclusions, but quickly many conclusions were popping into her head and all of them were making her blood pressure rise.

“But then I saw how you were. How you are. I would have had to bring in five, no ten more people by now if it wasn’t for your skill at codebreaking, your tactics for communications sabotage and organization. You are a treasure, Chèrie. That is why I trust you implicitly and why I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Why would you think you’d hurt me?”

Geneviève looked into Peggy’s eyes with a wry smile, “Are you really into being with girls, Peggy Carter?”

Peggy looked at her with an unblinking, serious face, “It’s true I haven’t been with a woman in that way, but I don’t see why I shouldn’t want to if I found one that I fell in love with.”

Geneviève snorted at that, “Thousands of years of religious oppression hasn’t given you enough reasons?”

Peggy set her jaw and narrowed her eyes before responding with a question, “Why would Vera want to torture you?” She didn’t want to let that part go before setting Gen straight on her beliefs.

“We kind of had…a little…”

“You were…lovers?”

“Not exactly, I think she liked me, but I was with a different girl and I suspect she’s always tried to get even with me in clever ways.”

“Would those ways put us or the operation in jeopardy at all?”

“Oh, no, no Chèrie, I she’s not like that. She wants the destruction of the Reich as much as I do, and she would never jeopardize this operation.” Gen nodded her head and looked sincerely into Peggy’s eyes. “Honestly, I realized that she didn’t send you for spite at all. I had been burning the candle at both ends before you came here, I was getting punch drunk and paranoid. I know now she sent the best person for the job. It’s just a coincidence that you looked like someone I know.”

“Your girlfriend?” the thought had just sprung into Peggy’s mind.

Gen sighed, “Yes. Tatiana.”

“I see, and is this why you don’t want to hurt me? You’re still with her?”

“I wish,” Gen said, quietly. “I don’t know where she is. Or if she’s even alive and…” she trailed off.

Peggy squeezed her hand a little to encourage her to keep talking. “It’s okay,” she said, “I understand.”

Gen looked at her for a few moments, “I believe you, and I don’t want to be the type of person to play with anyone’s feelings.” Looking into Peggy’s sweet, innocent face, she suddenly felt the need to tell all that she kept bottled inside. “You want to know why you shouldn’t want to get involved with someone like me? To _be_ someone like me? Eh?” She rolled up her shirtsleeve, “You wanted to know what that black symbol next to the numbers means?”

Peggy nodded, “If you want to tell me.”

“It means that I’m asocial, officially. Unofficially, I’m a Kesser Vater.”

“And what does that mean?” Peggy wasn’t completely sure why words ‘saucy’ and ‘father’ would be used to describe Gen.

“Because when I put my hair up, put on a tux and wear a top hat, I look just like the spitting image of Dietrich.” Gen sat back on the table, cocked her head to the side and gave a proud, defiant smile.

Peggy smiled too, she could picture it and it definitely was not an unpleasant sight to her, “I would have liked to have seen that.”

It grew quiet while Gen tried to think of what to say next, and Peggy waited patiently for her to get out what she hadn’t shared with anyone in a very long time. When the silence stretched a little too long Peggy decided to break it with a question that had been on her mind since the first night they met.

“Can you…will you tell me how you got to the camp?”

Gen looked down at Peggy’s hand again and took in a deep breath.

“I was in Germany, performing in a nightclub. I was quite popular by 1933.”

Peggy quickly calculated in her head, “When you were twelve?”

Gen scoffed, “Twelve? Are you mad?! I was twenty!”

“You-you’re twenty-seven?” Peggy couldn’t really believe that. Gen looked so young, she thought she was at least her age or maybe at most a year older.

“Yes, how old did you think I was?”

“At least my age…”

“Which is?”

Peggy suddenly got nervous. She was never really self-conscious about her age since her parents had brought her up to be a smart and capable person and she had always seemed older than her years.

“Nineteen?”

“You are not sure?”

Peggy laughed at that, “No, I-I’m nineteen.”

“Well, Chèrie, I had thought you were young,” she put her other hand on Peggy’s face. “But not that young, you’re just a baby…”

“Please, Gen. You thought me organised, and capable of being a leader before, don’t hold my age against me.”

“No, no, nothing like that, Marguerite. I just thought you were nearer my age, that’s all. You are still all those things. But you are still young. With a life ahead of you, no?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t really matter now. Would I have a life if I’m dead in London killed by a bomb? I’ll do what I can, whatever I can to help end this war.”

“This damned war,” Gen moved her hand from Peggy’s face to her hair and sifted through it. “It’s making us grow up too fast.”

“You were saying about how you got to the camp…”

“Oh yes, where was I?”

“The nightclubs.”

“Ah yes, the nightclubs in Berlin. As soon as I could, I ran straight there. I told my father I was going to study at the University and I took my inheritance and went. There were many good clubs, so many friends. I was young and free then; I couldn’t believe my eyes; the stories had been correct. It was like getting all your favorite candies in the candy store every night. Soon, I came to be a singer in a club called Topkeller. It was wild, and so much fun; we were so jam packed, on Friday you could hardly get in. We’d have to sometimes lift people, that were performing in the shows, over the crowd so that they could get to the stage. I did an homage to La Dietrich, I called it La Dyketrick for the English ladies who mostly bankrolled me. It was a very popular and I had a lot of fans that came to see me.” Gen stopped for a while, remembering. “And then I met Tati. She was a German socialite, just a girl, about your age…a year younger than me. After that first night, she would come to see me exclusively. Every. Single. Night.”

“And then what happened?”

“We spent many happy months together; it would have been a year in February of ‘33.” Vera looked at Peggy squarely in the face, her eyes grew dark. “And then Hitler and his minions took over and we were shut down. I was arrested on charges that I had kidnapped and corrupted a young girl.” Gen looked and sounded like a bitter taste was in her mouth.

“I thought it wasn’t illegal for women to be…”

“Homosexual?”

“Yes.”

“You are correct, Marguerite. But when you’re schtupping the daughter of a high ranking official in the Deutsches Reich, especially of the Justice Department, they’re not going to bother with _laws_. They are going to bend them to their will!”

“Oh my,” Peggy said, shocked.

“I didn’t even have a chance to change, they rounded me up at the club, and sent me to prison. At first it was comical, I was in a black tux, white tie, spatz…all of it. The guards called me Fred Astaire and asked for my auto-graph.” The smile left her face and her eyes grew even darker. “And then they stripped me to bare skin and made me shower in freezing cold water, while they threw a disinfectant powder on me. They cut my hair in big pieces.” She ran a hand through her hair and sighed out. “They also did things…” Gen stopped and stared blankly. “After a few years, they transferred me to Auschwitz and branded me with this.” She pulled up her sleeve again, revealing the tattoo.

“I’m sorry,” Peggy said, sincerely and took Gen’s arm in her hands. She placed a kiss on the tatoo.

That brought Gen back from whatever dark place she was just in. She put both of her hands on Peggy’s face again and bent down until their foreheads touched.

“Seeing you that night, brought some of the good times back. I have been such a sourpuss for the past seven years. That’s why they jokingly call me La Joconde, because I don’t smile.” She brought her lips to Peggy’s forehead and pressed a kiss onto it. “I started to smile again, thanks to you.”

“You’re welcome,” Peggy said, and placed her hands on Gen’s waist. In one quick move she pulled Gen onto her lap.

“Ooh! Chèrie, I did not know you had such strength!” Gen steadied herself by putting her hands on the back of the chair, so she was sitting comfortably and not in danger of toppling them both.

“I trained to fight,” Peggy said, with a smile and placed her hand on the back of Gen’s head, pulling her lips towards her own. “May I?” she asked, politely.

“You won’t get a fight from me,” Gen said, and quickly closed the gap between their lips.

Peggy’s mind exploded in pleasure, the sensations of Gen’s warm soft lips and her own melding with them was creating that delicious feeling to bubble up again and spread throughout the other pleasure points of her body. They were sent even bigger pulses of pleasure when she felt Gen’s tongue lick out at her lips, requesting silent permission to enter. Peggy parted her lips and the exquisite pleasure of Gen’s warm, velvety mouth and her tongue snaking around her own was almost too much for her. She pulled Gen tighter to her as she plunged the depths of her mouth. Her eager hands wanted to slip beneath clothing, to feel soft warm flesh under her fingers and free the skin from the bonds of the cotton and wool they were in. As she moved her shaking hands beneath Gen’s top, the French woman groaned against her mouth and pulled back.

“Not here, Chèrie,” She breathed out. “Not here, darling.”

Feeling bold, Peggy gripped Gen tighter and stood, after she felt Gen’s legs snake around her waist, she started walking towards the hallway where the rooms were, careful not to knock over a chair or bump the wall and alert people to what they were doing.

Gen peppered her face with kisses, and occasionally would stop at Peggy’s lips for a moment to get a proper kiss. When that would happen, Peggy would have to prop herself steady by holding an arm out to the wall. They finally made it to Gen’s room with no mishaps or being found out.

Gen managed to reach down behind herself and open the door while Peggy attacked her lips with a hungry kiss. As the door swung open, Peggy moved swiftly into the room and set Gen down gently on the bed, giving her a fiercely needy look and silently implored her to stay while she closed the door. Gen was amused with Peggy’s dominance of the situation.

After Peggy had closed the door, Gen chuckled and said, “I have to say, Chèrie, it is not a whole lot of times where I’m la femme.”

Peggy walked to the bed and sat beside Gen, “I don’t have to…”

“You know, I liked it, but I’d rather-” she pushed Peggy down on the bed and gave her another heart stopping kiss.

“You can do what you’d like…” Peggy breathed, as the kiss ended. Her breath hitched in her throat as she felt Gen’s shaking hand move up under her skirt and smooth her palm along her thigh. 

Just then there was an urgent knock on the door.

“Merde!” Gen cursed under her breath and held Peggy, who had tried to roll away, in place. “What is it?!”

“A message from LaFaye, I think you should see it.”

“I’ll be right out!” Gen looked down on Peggy who was breathing really hard. She bent down again and captured her lips in a quick, hot, wet kiss that held the promise of more to come. Soon. “Stay, I’ll deal with this, and then I’ll be right back.” Peggy hesitated a moment, if it was a message of urgency, then she really should see it, but the look in Gen’s eyes told her she wouldn’t be able to protest without a long, drawn out discussion. She nodded her head and sat up. “Two minutes, Chèrie, I promise.”

Gen straightened her skirt and her top, and smoothed her hair down. She applied some lipstick and blew Peggy a kiss in the mirror and then she was gone.

Time stretched on for what seemed like ages, when the time on the clock told Peggy she had been sitting there for ten minutes, she got up and started towards the door. Just then it burst open and Gen almost tumbled into her arms.

“Oh, Chèrie, Mon Dieu! I am sorry. I-we have the bastard who helped those scum who captured Rousseau! I have to go,” She rummaged around for her crossbody rucksack.

“I’ll come with you,” Peggy said, looking at herself in the mirror and straightening her hair and clothes.

“No, Chèrie, I can’t afford to have you go too. I need you to run things here.”

Peggy was devastated, she knew Gen was right, but she didn’t want to leave her now. Especially not after what they had just been doing.

“Don’t you think you should wait for confirmation?”

“We’ve had it, a second maquis has sent word. I have to travel to Guînes, they are holding him in Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens.”

“In a church?”

“Yes, the priest there is a friend.”

Peggy stood impressed for a moment, then started to help Gen pack.

“I just need a few essentials, I should be back by morning, Chèrie.”

She watched as Gen took a lipstick from a drawer, it wasn’t the one she had used earlier when she got ready.

“Are you sure you’ll need your lipstick?”

Gen grinned, “A spy should always be prepared,” she said, with a wink. “This is my special blend.”

Peggy quirked an eyebrow.

“Lancôme had it specially made for me when I was in Berlin.” She held it out for Peggy to see the label.

“102 Bonne Nuit,” Peggy read out loud.

“If a man got too ‘friendly’ with me, I could knock him out without having to throw a fist,” she smiled proudly and put the lipstick into her bag. “You’d be surprised how many times I’ve had to use this. Unfortunately, I wore it a couple of times by accident when Tati and I went out. We would come back, all ready for a night of love, and then she’d be passed out for a couple of hours. You couldn’t imagine the pain of waiting.”

Peggy’s eyes got a faraway look, “No, I guess I couldn’t.” She bent her head and sat down on the bed, staring at the carpet.

“Ma petite, I’m so sorry,” Gen said, and put her hand under Peggy’s chin to lift it so she could look her in the eyes. “I wanted nothing more but to be with you tonight.”

Peggy nodded and smiled, she felt like crying. Gen bent her head and caught Peggy’s lips with her own.

“So sweet,” Gen said, breathlessly as the kiss ended. Peggy kept her eyes closed, savoring the feeling for a few beats more. “Until tomorrow, Marguerite,” she whispered and kissed the back of Peggy’s hand.

When Peggy opened her eyes again, she just caught a glimpse of Gen going out of the door. It took her a long few moments to get up and leave the room.

She made her way to the kitchen, realizing she hadn’t finished her duty for the night. Her back definitely felt better, but her heart felt a little broken. Still, she felt that the intimacy between them wasn’t finished and she would be patient. As she washed the plates, she thought of what Gen had said to her about the concentration camps and why she was put in them. That was the first thing that Peggy would do if she had the entire army at her disposal. Or even if she didn’t. Liberate the camps.

As she was almost completely finished with cleaning up, a voice startled her out of her thoughts, “Has Gen left?” It was Édouard, he was winded and sweaty. It appeared that he had run a long way, and fast.

“She has,” Peggy said. “Why?”

“Mon Dieu!”

“What?!” she asked, alarmed.

“I was bringing a message from Doucet,” he bent down to get a breath and held the piece of paper out to her. “Telling her not to go to Guînes, it could be a trap.”

“Oh, my word,” Peggy said, in English after she read the code that would confirm its validity. “How do we stop her?!”

The Stooge was shaking his head, “We don’t know what route she would have taken.” He threw up his hands, incredulously.

Peggy went to the map table, “How many can there be?” she asked, as she poured over the routes from Calais to Guînes. “Would she take the Route-de-Guînes?” She quickly ruled that out. “Too obvious, it’s the quickest way there, but she wouldn’t be that foolish.” She followed a road that was more west with her finger. “Rue du Marais, into Saint-”

“Tricat!” The Stooge finished for her. “Yes, then down past Hames-Boucres and into bottom of the town. The church is nearer that way.” Peggy smiled at him and he nodded at her. “I can see why Vera sent you, Rita. Besides the obvious…”

“Why is that, Édouard?”

“You’re the most level headed in a crisis. And we’re always bound to have those here.” He smiled at her and looked at his watch. “How long ago did you say she left?”

“About twenty…no more than thirty minutes ago.”

“If I run to the next town, I will be able to get off a message to have her truck stopped at Saint-Tricat, if they were too quick I’ll get a message to Hames-Boucres, just in case.”

“They?”

“The Fox went with her,” he said, as he put his hat on and shook her hand. “I’ll be quick.”

“Good luck!” Peggy shouted after his back and closed her eyes to pray. “Our Father, which art in heaven, I know I don’t often pray anymore, or at all really, I guess you would know that, and I certainly have broken a few of your laws in the past few months, tonight alone, I think I broke at least five,” she said, cringingly. “But if you bring Gen back safe, I swear I will not break anymore. I’ll become a nun…practically. Even though I’m not Catholic. Amen.”

As the hours passed into the next morning, she was frantically pacing the floor. The others who had been dozing off took turns pleading with her to rest.

A few minutes later, Leon burst open the door, filling the doorway with his big bulky frame and shouted, “They have taken her!”

Peggy’s heart fell to the floor, and she felt like she was going to be sick.

“What happened?!” The Stooge who had been dozing off in a chair was suddenly up and pulling at Leon’s lapels.

“It was an ambush, they never even made it to Saint-Tricat, we found the truck blown up on the side of the road.”

Peggy had to take some very deep breaths to stop herself from throwing up. She finally was able to speak after a very tense silence, “Were there bodies?”

“No, I think they blew the truck after capturing them.”

“They could be on the run!”

“God willing,” Leon said, and sat heavily in a chair. He pulled at his hands and Peggy saw some tears welling into his eyes. She went over to him and put a hand on his large shoulder.

“She’ll be fine, Leon,” Peggy said with confidence. “She’s the toughest woman I know and I have a feeling she didn’t get caught.”

“I really hope that is the case, Rita,” his voice started to break, “I would be…to think, I got her into this…”

She put her arms around him and let him cry into her stomach for several minutes.

“There, there, Leon. Shhhhh…” She soothed him. “Let it out, ma petite.” She sounded just like Gen, and it did seem funny that she was calling this bear of a man that as she cradled his head in her arms. That thought and the feeling that Gen was in trouble but still with them, brought a tear to her own eyes, and she smiled in spite of the sadness.

The next days were frantic, they knew they were playing on borrowed time. They tried to find out what happened to Fox and Gen, but information was spotty and it seemed some of their contacts had also been captured.

At last the word came.

Fox had been found, shot through the head, but there was no word concrete word on Gen’s fate. Someone said she was in the makeshift jail, at Coulogne, others said she had been taken to Paris. Still others said she killed seven Nazis and left ten more maimed before she fled on foot to the water.

Peggy didn’t know what to believe, but she felt even more strongly now, that Gen was still with them. At least, that’s what she hoped in her heart of hearts.

When that bit about Fox had been read out, Édouard fell to his knees. DeCouvier went to him, put his hand on his head and was speaking soothingly to him in low tones.

Peggy looked at Leon questioningly and he said, “Ils étaient mariés.”

She blinked a few times as what that meant sunk in. They had been married. It was curious to her that she didn’t see it. She saw them tease each other affectionately, but she had seen her brother do that to some of his school chums, so she didn’t think anything of it.

Without another word, she crossed over to the cabinet, took out the bottle of schnapps and then some glasses. She filled the glasses one by one and handed them out to those who wanted it. DeCouvier moved off as Peggy kneeled down to Édouard and held out a glass to him. He gratefully accepted and downed the liquid in one shot, wincing as it burned his throat, then he threw his arms around her and wept uncontrollably and unashamed. He cursed the gods, and Hitler and everyone else in this god damned world that had taken everything from him. Peggy kissed his head gently, and whispered soothing words to him. When, at last he was cried out, Leon carried him limp, to the bedroom he had shared with Fox.

Peggy looked down at the glass still in her hand, and picked up Édouard’s off the carpet. DeCouvier stepped in and helped her up.

“Merci,” she said, quietly.

“You know, Geneviève saved Édouard from the camps.”

“Did she?”

“Yes, they escaped together; he was going to be exterminated the next day.”

Peggy’s eyes narrowed at her glass as she put Édouard’s and hers on the table and poured out two more drinks. She held one out to DeCouvier who held up his glass that showed it was full.

“Oh, sorry,” she apologized.

“It would be a shame to waste it.”

She shrugged and then proceeded to down both glasses of schnapps one after the other.

“You’re a born leader, Rita. Vera knows what she’s doing.”

She remembered when Édouard gave her the same compliment.

“I’m not so sure sometimes,” she said, as she thought about how she could have stopped Gen and Fox from going that night.

“I hope you are not thinking that you are responsible,” he said, after he watched her brow nit itself into frightful patterns.

“I could have…”

He shook his head and sighed, “You could have done nothing short of kill her yourself, she wouldn’t have listened. If anything of this is to be a lesson, take that. Never let yourself get so blinded to revenge that you lose site of the bigger picture.”

Peggy thought of those words for a while, and then she finally spoke decisively, “Opportunities multiply as they are seized.” She got up and put the bottle back in the cabinet and the glasses in the sink.

For the next few hours she scoured the network messages for any word of Gen or what had happened, after those were read through, she looked at all of the papers both from the Vichy presses and the resistance. There was nothing in them except speculation. It was late when she finally let herself have a moment of respite, and then there was a rustling around the back door. She was up like a shot with her gun almost flying into her hand.

It was Jean at the door with a message in his hand. She kissed him on both cheeks and took the message from his hands, tearing it open from the side.

Her eyes went wide and she looked pained.

Her voice sounded hollow as she read it out loud:

“La Boucher has been stopped at Ostend. There will be no more transmissions from this operative.”

“La Joconde, what do we do?”

She said with a voice as cold as steel, “We keep going, Jean. We keep going, and we win.”

She didn’t allow herself to break down in front of anyone, but when she went to Gen’s room later that night, after sitting up with Leon and grieving, she lay face down on the bed and cried bitter tears.

She and God would settle up some other time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bent some dates/events in the war to coincide with Peggy's timeline. Vera Atkins is a real person, the others are of my creation.


	3. Seek And Ye Shall Find

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peggy's still searching, come to think of it, so is Angie...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to Anna Maria Italiano and Rose Carmella (last name redacted). ;-) The former is better known to the world as Anne Bancroft and the latter is better known to me and my siblings as Ma. They were the inspiration for someone who appears later in the chapter. Enjoy!

_October 1940, a farmhouse near Calais_

“Rita, we have to go,” Leon pleaded in English for what seemed to be the tenth time in the past hour. “We’ve done all we can.”

“There’s still more to do,” Peggy said firmly, as she boxed up some items and handed them over to him. “Now, I understand that you need to move on, but I’m going to carry on here.”

“Mais pourquois?!”

“Because it’s not all done yet.”

“What’s not all done? The Alsatian traitor, Marty, is dead by your hand, Rousseau and most of his men were liberated, we’ve sabotaged almost all of the communications lines from the north of France to Paris, the replacement team has been installed at Sissone, there is nothing more for us to do here,” he said, incredulously.

“I’ll say it again, Leon, because maybe you are hard of hearing. I’m staying and that’s final. Do I need to say it en français? Bon. Je reste ici et c'est définitif! Okay?”

“No, it’s not okay, you’d be here all on your own and there is nothing to do!”

Peggy sighed frustrated, she was truly exhausted, with this argument, with the packing, with this whole damned situation. She knew that pretty much everything was in hand from the mission standpoint, but she didn’t feel it was right to give up just yet. It still felt like she had failed.

“Rita,” Leon said, more gently this time. “I know why you don’t want to leave…”

She appeared to pay no attention to him as she boxed up some of the files and burned still others in the fire.

“There’s another box on the table there, some papers and things of yours,” she said, still not looking at him.

He sighed and opened the box; in it he saw a traveler’s journal that he hadn’t thought of in quite a while and picked it up. He rifled through it, stopped at the page he was looking for and laughed. That made Peggy stop what she was doing and look at him, she hadn’t heard him laugh like that in almost a month.

Not since…

She tried not to think of that.

His face dissolved into one of sadness and a tear slipped out of his eye.

“What is it?”

He held up a picture and she immediately recognized who was in it, she drew in a sharp breath and took it from him.

Her face was a mask of sadness like his.

“I went and stayed with her in Berlin for a few months when I had a summer break from my studies,” Leon said, happiness was evident in his voice as he recalled the time they had. “Édouard and The Fox were there, in one of the other clubs. They used to dress as women and would escort her on stage sometimes.”

The picture was taken in what looked to be ballroom, with big palm trees framing the five people in the photograph. Gen, another woman, who she guessed was Tatiana and Leon were wearing tuxes and looking ever the dapper gentlemen in white tie, black tails and spats. Fox was in a full-length black silk gown, cut on the bias with a weighted front and fluted hemline. Peggy was sure the dress was open back and it curved on his body in all the right places, like it was made for him. He had on a black wig and looked ever the femme fatale in it. Édouard was standing next to him, with his right hand in Fox’s and the other holding a bouquet of flowers. His dress was probably crème colored, Peggy surmised. It was short sleeved and had either beads or sequins on a floral designed lace silhouette gown that ethereally flowed down to the floor. She briefly wished her own wedding dress had been so chic. Édouard’s wig was also dark but seemed to be of a different color than the Fox’s.

“Is that when Édouard and the Fox got married?”

“As much as it could be legal yes. Geneviève and Tati pledged to each other then, too.”

She looked closer and Tatiana had her hand bent towards the camera, showing off her ring. Her heart broke for all of them.

Then something puzzled her, it wasn’t really important, but she was curious.

“Why weren’t you in a dress too?”

“Do you think you can find a dress for a 6’ 6” man in a day? One that wouldn’t look like a circus tent, anyway,” he grumbled. “Not even in Berlin during the Weimar Republic. Chèrie! Believe me, those beggars tried. In the end, we all thought it was for the best, I would have stolen the show with my legs.” She looked puzzled and he shrugged, “I wanted to wear a high on the knee cocktail dress. See through bodice with crepe sleeves…” He laughed as he caught the look on Peggy’s face trying to picture it. She shook her head and laughed as she saw him looking at her with that devilish glint in his eyes.

“There is the smile I’ve been waiting to see,” he said, sincerely.

She looked back at the picture and her smile deepened. They all looked so happy and alive. After a few more moments of allowing herself to be distracted she handed the picture back to Leon.

“Thank you for letting me see it,” she smiled, faintly at him.

“No, no, Chèrie,” he put up his hand to stop her from giving it back. “You take it…”

“No, I shouldn’t, this is yours, surely it’s worth a lot to you.”

“I have others, Gen had copies made and sent them all over Europe. She had a huge portrait painted from it and sent that to mes parents. You should have seen the look on my father’s face when he opened it. It hangs now at their villa in Nice.”

“Thank you,” she said, quietly and pocketed the photo.

After a few moments of quiet, he spoke, “You really do need to come with me, ma petite,” he said, gently as he rubbed the back of his neck. “You can’t stay for something that will never come back.”

“I’ll stay until the job is finished,” Peggy said, the hard edge that told Leon she would go a few rounds and more if he didn’t let up on her, was back in her voice.

He looked at her working on the boxes for a few more moments, while he internally warred with himself about whether or not he should just punch her unconscious and run with her over his shoulder. But he couldn’t bring himself to do that.

At lasted he gave up and sighed, “Well, Rita, I shall see you another time then,” he walked up to her and put his arms out for a hug. She gratefully accepted and hugged him tight. “You are a treasure to the French people, Peggy Carter. I will never forget what you have done for us.”

Peggy realized Leon had found out her name. Probably from Gen.

“Leon, what’s your real name, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Don’t you know?”

“No, I was never told.”

“Yes, you were…”

“No, I’m telling the truth, I wasn’t told.”

“Gen told you,” he said, smiling.

She shook her head.

“Yes, she did, that day we first met.” He smiled and then said, “It is Leon Lefebvre.”

“But-”

He continued, “I stupidly did not think of an alias and I was not with Gen’s maquis at the time, so by the time she tried to give me one, it was too late. Everyone knew my real name. Besides,” he shrugged his shoulders. “How many really devilishly handsome 6’ 6” men do you know in France? I was doomed to be hunted from the start.” He shrugged. “Bon. Goodbye, ma chèrie. Take care of yourself,” he said, as he put on his cap and took the box she had given him, out the door.

*****

One week later, Peggy was scouring the papers for any news while she was sitting in the little room she used to chat with Gen and bolted upright when she heard rustling around the back door. She flew like a shot to it and pulled it open in a sweeping motion.

The look of hopeful joy quickly fell from her face and she greeted the woman at it.

“Vera,” she said, contemptibly. 

“Carter, what the devil are you doing?!” Vera Atkins said, perturbed as she pushed her way into the farmhouse. “I could have been the Gestapo, the SS and the Luftwaffe all rolled into one!”

“Care for a cup of tea?” Peggy said, not really listening to what Vera was saying.

“Tea? Christ, what’s with you girl?!” she said, as she looked around the kitchen. She was surprised at how clean the place was, she half expected to see it in a complete shambles.

“Bonjour, Rita,” Sébastien said sheepishly, skulking around the doorway still. Peggy quickly guessed he escorted her in the boat from Dover.

“No time for pleasantries, we’re not _paying a call_!” Vera said, severely and waved him to come inside with her glove. “Come in and close the door, you’re letting the light out!”

Peggy held the door open and closed it after Sébastien entered.

“If you’ve come to ask me to leave with you, then you’re sorely mistaken and I’m sorry you had to come all this way only to be disappointed.”

“Oh no, dear,” Vera said, “We’re not _asking_ you to leave, we’re collecting you and bringing you back with us, if we have to bundle you up into a trunk and haul you off.”

Peggy quickly looked at her exit options, she was about to make a break for it out of the door that Sébastien had just come through, when it opened and Leon appeared, effectively blocking her escape out of that door. She looked at Vera and Sébastien and immediately calculated exactly how fast it would take her to neutralize them, when Vera summarily pulled her to her and planted a deep kiss on her lips.

She was out like a light and falling back into Leon’s arms before she even knew what had happened.

Just then Jean came into the kitchen, he had been waiting around the front door just in case Peggy had tried to make her break that way.

“I was hoping it didn’t have to come to that,” Vera said, with a sigh.

“Oh, I’m sure you hoped upon your wildest dreams that this mission did not end in a passionate kiss with La Joconde, Vera.” Jean said, with a wry grin.

“Don’t be indecent, Jean. I’m still your superior.”

Vera put her gloves on and looked at Sébastien, “Don’t just stand there, ogling, mon beau. Help Leon with Carter.”

Leon said quickly, “I’ve got her,” and secured Peggy’s body in his arms. “Bon, allons-y.”

Vera sighed, “I really would have liked that tea,” she said, disappointed as she followed Leon out with Sébastien and Jean right on her tail.

It wasn’t until they were half-way to Dover that Peggy woke up. She was surprised not to be in a boat, but a plane.

She narrowed her groggy eyes at Vera and spoke as best she could.

“Why?”

“Oh, dear, you’re coming to already. I didn’t think you’d be up and at ‘em until we were back at Chequers. Speak up, Carter, I can barely hear you over the roar of the motors.”

“W-where?”

“What?!”

“W-where am I being taken?” Peggy said, as loud as the knockout drug would let her.

“To Chequers, Churchill wants a full report from La Joconde, directly.”

“M-me?! Why me?!” Peggy couldn’t believe what Vera was telling her.

“Because he wants to meet the woman who single handedly set the Nazis back about ten months. That will be more than enough time for our push to really take hold in the resistance.”

“B-but…”

“Carter, listen to me. Even if Gen were alive, she wouldn’t go back to that house. She knows that someone may have compromised it by now. That’s why we were so staunch in getting you back now. We didn’t want to lose another good leader.”

Peggy wanted to believe all the nice words Vera was saying, “I don’t believe you.”

“I know you don’t, but you don’t have to. You just have to use your head. The old man was going to fly to France and bring you back himself. It took my convincing to stop him, poor dear. He’s been worried sick.”

“Churchill?”

“Who else? He has taken a great interest in this program, in you, in fact. You have proven for him that women can indeed handle anything a man can and excel to boot.” Vera said, proudly, then added more serious. “It’s not about what you believe, Carter. It’s what about what we know. You’re needed elsewhere now.”

Peggy lay in shock for a few moments, her head was clearing up sufficiently. She couldn’t believe that Churchill himself was going to come after her.

After a long silence she asked, “What was that you used on me?”

“Say again?”

“To knock me out.”

“Oh, that,” Vera reached in her bag and took out the lipstick, “My little beauty,” she said, as she palmed the gold tube to show Peggy and then put it back in her bag. “Gen isn’t the only one with Messieur Lancôme’s number,” she said with a wink.

Peggy closed her eyes and lay back; she didn’t speak again until they landed.

*****

As the car neared the house, she took in a breath.

“Don’t be nervous, Carter,” Vera said, soothingly. “You’re not about to be in a boat, speeding towards Calais.”

Peggy’s heart panged at that, she wished she _was_ in that boat heading towards Calais. It seemed like a hundred years ago.

“The house is so breath taking,” she said.

“Don’t worry, Winnie will have you filled in on all the house’s history in no time and then you’ll be able to give tours,” Vera chuckled.

When the car stopped, Peggy’s door was immediately opened and she was helped out. She stopped and turned around as she realized that Vera wasn’t getting out too and looked at her puzzled.

“You’re not coming with me?”

“Oh no, dear, you have a solo invitation. Besides, I have to get back to Whitehall to give an accounting to those who need it, then on to Hampshire to give the brass there some bucking up.” She took pity on Peggy and got out of the car with her hand held out for a shake. “I won’t try to kiss you, darling, you’d probably brain me.”

Peggy smiled and then let out a laugh as she shook her hand. “You know, you’re probably the real reason that Churchill knows that women can handle a lot.”

“You’re sweet,” she said, and gave Peggy a short hug, like she had done in Dover. “Now, you remember what I told you once before,” Vera said, “Don’t be intimidated.” She smiled an encouraging smile at her, “You’ll do fine, Carter.”

Peggy watched as Vera got back into the car and it turned to leave the grounds. The attendant who had opened the car door for her held out his arm for her to loop hers through. She was then brought out to meet the Prime Minister in the back garden at Chequers.

She could hardly believe it.

“There she is, dear girl,” The Prime Minister said from a seated position, he tried to get up, but his wife put a firm hand on his shoulder and held him in place as she got up instead.

“Welcome to Chequers, Miss Carter, it’s so lovely to have you to tea,” Clementine Churchill said with a gracious smile and extended a hand for Peggy to shake. Her manner perfectly befitted her upbringing and station in life. Peggy was in awe, especially with the way she had handled her husband, who was currently responsible for keeping the free world from being overtaken by Nazism.

Peggy wasn’t a lady, but she was as well bred as she could be for a middle-class child and she was determined to make a good impression. That led her to suddenly be very grateful to Vera that she had insisted she shower and change into the clothes they had waiting for her. To say she had been indignant when she got off the plane would have been an understatement and she was determined to meet Churchill in her bomber jacket, and Army issued pants, tucked into her jack boots.

“How are you, dear child?” Clementine asked, as they shook hands.

“Fine, just fine, Mrs. Churchill-”

“Call me Clementine, we don’t stand on ceremony much during this blasted war.”

Peggy smiled at this famous and important woman’s easy manner. “I-I-” she stuttered as she was trying to say that she couldn’t bring herself to call Mrs. Churchill, the Prime Minister’s wife, by her first name, she would never hear the end of it from her mother.

“Stop making her nervous, Mrs. Puss, and let her come see me. I’m the Prime Minister and the one who brought her here!” Churchill said, as he banged the arm of his chair impetuously. Peggy stood there, paralyzed for a moment. “Well, come over here, girl, I can’t very well get up and come over there. Doctor C’s orders. I have been under the weather.”

“Sorry to hear that, Sir,” she said, and smiled in apology to Clementine before going over to the Prime Minister and to shake his pro-offered hand. He put his hand over hers and pulled her closer as he motioned for her to bend down a little so he could speak confidentially.

“Tell me, dear. Did Vera have to use the lipstick?”

Peggy blushed a deep shade of red and said embarrassed, “I’m afraid she did, Sir.”

He patted her hand and chuckled, “Oh, you girls have all the luck. Kissing each other without any fear of reproach.” Peggy thought that comment odd, but somehow, she felt The Prime Minister was making an innocent observation about the close relationships between women and smiled at him. “Now, let’s have some Dundee cake and tea while you tell me all about your exploits in Calais, mon chèrie,” he added the last bit in heavily British accented French.

“How are you really?” he asked her once their cake and tea had been served and the servants retreated to a discreet distance away.

Peggy sighed and said sincerely, “I- I was sad to leave my station, but I’m bucking up. Been briefed on what the next mission is, so I’m ready. Being here at Chequers helps.

“Good,” The Prime Minister nodded satisfied with that answer. “The house has it’s charm, but it’s no Chartwell in the spring. You know the bedroom next to yours was Lady Mary Grey’s?”

“Mine?”

“Well,” he looked sheepishly at Clementine then back at Peggy, “we were going to ask you to stay for the weekend.”

“But I expect your parents will be anxious to see you,” Clementine gave her an out in case she wanted it.

Peggy blinked; she hadn’t thought of that. “I expect maybe…”

“Where are your people from?”

“Clemmy! Stop hogging her, I’m the Prime Minister you know, and she is my operative, _I_ want to question her!”

“Oh, yes darling, where are my manners?” Clementine said with a laugh.

After tea, and Peggy promising to stay for the weekend, she excused herself to freshen up. Clementine was out in the hallway as she came out of the bathroom.

“I don’t mean to startle you, Miss Carter, I just wanted to thank you for coming today. Winston has been sufficiently perked up good and proper.”

“You…you’re welcome.”

“He was so worried about you not wanting to come back, that he worked himself into a frightful state.”

“Is that why he’s been under the weather?” she said, worriedly.

“Not completely,” Clementine said, sincerely. “He’s got a spot of bother in one of his legs that has been hampering his movements, but it didn’t help that his best operative in France was refusing to come back from the field. He thought maybe you had gone over to the other side.”

Peggy scoffed, and said, “Never…”

“Good girl,” Clementine said, and hooked her arm through Peggy’s as they walked. “Now, Winston is going to nap, I thought I might do something for you.”

“F-for me?”

“I’m going bring you out to see someone who is dying to meet you.”

A thought occurred to Peggy and her stomach clenched, but then she dismissed it. Mrs. Churchill’s connotation had made her realize that she had never met this person before.

As she was led into the small atrium, she recognized the woman right away. She had seen her in the picture, Leon had given her.

Tatiana.

They stood regarding each other for a short while, Peggy thinking she looked almost like herself, only older, a bit shorter maybe, then Tatiana broke the silent stand off with a rush of arms towards Peggy and brought her into a hug.

“Oh, Liebchen!” she exclaimed. “We are finally meeting!” Peggy was a little leery of this type of thing. Firstly, she wouldn’t have guessed that Tatiana would have known who she was, secondly, Peggy was British, so she wasn’t exactly comfortable with overt displays of affection, especially from someone she didn’t know and lastly, she really was starting to take Vera’s advice and ‘trust no one’, so she was suspicious.

Tatiana kissed her on both cheeks and then pulled back a little.

“Hello,” Peggy said, quietly.

“Oh, my dear, I’m so sorry! You must think me crazy!”

“I’ll leave you two to get acquainted,” Peggy realized that Mrs. Churchill was still in the room. “The butler has left some refreshments and afterwards you can retire to your rooms to lie down or freshen up. Whatever you require,” she said, as she backed out of the room and closed the French doors.

“She is a dear, dear woman,” Tatiana said, with a sigh and a fond look towards the doors.

“She is,” Peggy said, and looked at something on her that had caught her eye. She saw a scar that was covered with make-up to make it almost invisible. It went from her hairline, all the way down, around her face to underneath her ear, then down to the jugular where it was more pronounced.

Tatiana still had Peggy in an embrace and then realized she was being looked at.

“I’m sorry, Liebling, I just am so happy to meet you, and I cling,” she said, as she let go of Peggy and moved back.

Peggy smiled, “It’s okay, I just…I’m…I can’t…”

“You can’t believe I’m alive and that I know who you are, is that right?”

“Yes, I mean…”

“You don’t really know much about the spy business, do you?” Tatiana said with a chuckle.

Peggy was a little perturbed by that, “I know enough.”

“Oh no, Liebes Herz, please don’t think me wicked. I didn’t mean it that way,” she sighed and went to the settee and sat down. “Please, sit, I want to explain.” She gestured towards a Queen Anne chair that was to her left.

Tatiana poured Peggy a tea and she accepted it gratefully. She hadn’t had a proper tea in months, and even though they just had copious amounts with the Prime Minister, her thirst for it wasn’t slaked.

“Do you take sugar?”

Peggy nodded.

“One lump or two?”

“Three?” She said and then laughed as Tatiana’s face screwed up in a funny look. Peggy shrugged, “I like it sweet.”

“But your teeth, Liebling, doesn’t that hurt them?”

“I figure in this business I won’t get the pleasure of getting a toothache,” Peggy suddenly realized she was being maudlin. “And if I do, then I’ll deal with it when the time comes.”

Tatiana shrugged her shoulders as she dropped three cubes of sugar into Peggy’s cup and handed it to her.

“How old are you?” Tatiana asked as Peggy was stirring her tea back and forth, the proper ladies’ way.

Peggy stiffened, “Why does that matter?”

“I used to drink tea with that much sugar when I was younger, I just was wondering if you were as old as I was then.”

“I’m old enough,” Peggy said, finally.

She wasn’t sure why she was so resistive to this woman; she should be curious about her life, where she’s been these eight years, and how she ended up here today, but she was also feeling something that she didn’t think she would feel.

Jealousy.

And if truth be told, a little sadness because she knows that if Gen _is_ alive, she would want to be with Tatiana over Peggy.

‘ _Mon chèrie, you are a treasure, but you are not her_ ,’ she imagined Gen saying to her as she kissed her hand in goodbye.

Peggy sighed as she still stirred her tea, not really present in the room.

“I think the tea is sufficiently stirred, Liebling.”

Peggy stopped and said, “Sorry.”

Tatiana took a sip of her tea and then put the cup and saucer on the table in front of her.

“I am so sorry, maybe I shouldn’t have come.”

Peggy was suddenly sorry for the way she was acting. She didn’t really have any reason to dislike this woman, except for selfish reasons. And besides, Gen was most likely dead, and Peggy should be more sensitive to Tatiana’s feelings.

“No-no please, it’s me, I-”

“You don’t have to say it, meine Süße, I think I understand.”

Peggy didn’t want to sound argumentative, so instead of saying anything she stayed silent at first. Then said, “I had no right…”

Tatiana got up and made Peggy sit next to her on the settee, “Don’t bother yourself with regret, there was nothing you could do…” She said soothingly as she rubbed Peggy’s back.

Suddenly Peggy was worried about what Tatiana might know, or rather not know.

“You don’t understand…”

“Oh, but I do,” Tatiana said, taking Peggy’s hand into hers.

Peggy looked Tatiana in the eyes and said, “Nothing happened, but a kiss.”

Tatiana’s brow furrowed and she looked at Peggy’s mouth. Without another word she leaned forward and placed a kiss on Peggy’s lips. It was gentle and oddly thrilling, to be kissing this woman that Gen so revered. Someone she had thought of as a ghost. She briefly worried that she was wearing the knockout lipstick and that this was all a dastardly plot, but when she didn’t get any groggy feeling she stopped worrying.

Until she realized she was in the atrium…at Chequers!

She pulled back and said, “Tatiana, we’re…Mrs. Churchill…the Prime Minister!”

“They are happily slumbering, Liebchen,” she assured Peggy and pulled her in for another gentle kiss. This time Peggy got a bold idea and licked out at Tatiana’s lips, who parted them almost automatically and sucked Peggy’s tongue into her mouth. She got that delicious feeling and pulled Tatiana closer to her as the kiss deepened. She had forgotten herself for a few minutes.

Finally, Peggy’s fright over where they were took hold again and she pulled back.

“Oh, my dear,” Tatiana sighed out and flopped back on the settee’s cushion. She looked at Peggy and narrowed her eyes, “Now you see, you can no longer be guilty about kissing Geneviève, because we’ve kissed, too.”

“I see,” Peggy with a chuckle, though she was curious at how quickly she had taken to Tatiana’s touch, she worried that she was becoming what her mother would call, “loose”.

“You know, you are a very good kisser, Fräulein Carter. I don’t see why Gen would have left you-” she quickly stopped herself.

Peggy was stunned, she had been about to protest whatever Tatiana was about to say next, but the thoughts died on her lips after hearing those words and the tears that sprung to her eyes and silently fell in drops, also shocked her.

Tatiana sat up quickly and took Peggy more gently into her arms, whispering soothing words to her and letting her get out all the tears. The tears she hadn’t allowed to fall since a month before.

“Dear girl,” Tatiana said in English. “I am so sorry I said that, forgive me. You are so brave, so good, so…beautiful…I shouldn’t have said something so foolish. I sometimes do that. I didn’t mean to make you cry…” she had a slight hitch in her voice, that hinted at breaking into tears herself any moment.

Peggy wept for a few more minutes and then stopped but didn’t move her head from Tatiana’s shoulder. She was tired. More tired than she had been when she didn’t get sleep for a day, which was most days in the last month. Finally, when Peggy felt she had wetted Tatiana’s dress enough, she pulled back.

“I’m tired,” is all she managed to get out.

“My room is right outside the atrium, come with me…”

“But,” Peggy started then stopped.

“We will take a nap, like proper English ladies.”

“But you’re German,” Peggy corrected as Tatiana pulled her from her seated position and helped her out of the room.

“That’s not what it says on my passport, Fräulein Carter,” she said, with mischief in her voice as they made their way to her room.

“Speaking of that, how did you get here? Where have you been?” Peggy finally was curious, she surmised Gen had been frantic to find her and wanted to know what kept her from being with her. She also realized she was being a bit pushy. “Sorry…”

“Don’t be,” Tatiana said, quickly. “Your questions are welcomed and just.”

“No, they’re not, I have no right to question you that way…I’m terribly sorry.”

“I said don’t be, please.” Tatiana said, as she opened the door to her room and ushered Peggy inside. “I can see you are concerned for Geneviève and you don’t know how much that heartens me, to think that at least for a little while, someone comforted her, when I could not.” That thought brought fresh tears back to Peggy’s eyes and she sat at the end of the bed. She was surprised because she thought she was all cried out. Tatiana’s voice broke with her own sentiment, “You see, Liebchen, you cry for her…it’s good. That means she meant something to you and I know she felt something for you.”

“But…” Peggy started, then stopped.

When she didn’t continue Tatiana gently prompted her for more, “But what…”

“How can you be fine with the knowledge that we might have been intimate?”

Tatiana quirked an eyebrow at that, “Might have been?”

“Well…to tell you the truth, we only kissed but…”

“Oh, Liebes Herz, are you sure?”

Peggy had to chuckle at that question, she folder her hands in her lap and said a bit sadly, “Quite.”

“Oh, dear…I am sorry…”

Peggy didn’t really want to go into it too much, even though Tatiana was being overly understanding, it really didn’t sit well to think that she was speaking to someone, about being intimate with their significant other. Her upbringing, as liberal as it was, still did not allow her to break rules such as that.

Instead of going back to the previous topic, she decided to change the subject, “Please tell me about what happened to you.”

Tatiana sighed and moved to sit on the bed next to Peggy.

“Where do I start?”

“From wherever you want.”

Peggy quietly waited as Tatiana thought about what she was going to say. She watched as the German woman wrung her hands and heard her breath go shallow but too quick.

“I suddenly feel restricted,” Tatiana said, and put a hand up to her throat to rub it. “I…” she started to hyperventilate and Peggy told her to cup her hands over her mouth and concentrate on taking slower, deeper breaths into her belly. She put one hand on her stomach and the other on her back to help with the concentration. As Tatiana’s breaths grew normal, Peggy took her hands away and then rubbed her back soothingly.

“Alright?”

“Yes, fine now, thank you…it happens from time to time…especially when I think of my father.”

“You don’t have to talk, we can nap.”

“You’re such a dear, but I need to get it out, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.”

“Let us get comfortable, I want to take this dress off,” she caught Peggy’s worried look. “Don’t worry, Schatz, I’m not going to jump you.”

Peggy laughed and helped Tatiana off the bed. She relaxed after that and took the dressing gown Tatiana held out to her. After changing, they got comfortable in the big bed.

“I was born in Bavaria, in a little hamlet called Beirsdorf,” Tatiana began quietly. “My family have been connected to the dukes of Coburg since the 13th century.” Peggy was impressed and wanted to ask a question, but she didn’t. “It is said, my great-grandfather was the one who really introduced Prince Albert to Queen Victoria when they were children.”

Peggy had her question answered.

“It was an idyllic childhood, my father was always off somewhere, so my brothers and I were left in the care of my mother, who is a dear woman. I was educated at home and then sent to England to a finishing school for girls. My oldest brother, Maximillian, was studying at Trinity College, so my father bought us a cottage there where Max and I used to go on the weekends. Mutti came to see us whenever she could. It was simply heaven.” She sighed. “You know, after the revolution, we thought democracy was flourishing. At first, it was grand. Women and children were getting more protections, there was more emphasis placed on the people, the workers, instead of the monarchy. A real democracy! It was thrilling. And finally, a light seemed to appear at the end of the tunnel for the first time since that Gott verdammt war ended,” she said, bitterly. “My adult life was just beginning. It was 1930. I really wanted to go back home, but Mutti said I should stay in England and finish my education. What did I need of education, I pleaded with her, I wanted to be with my brothers and even though I hardly ever saw my father, I wanted to be there when he did visit. I was a bit of a daddy’s girl,” she looked at Peggy with a smile, that turned sad and stopped talking for a while. Peggy took her hand into her own and waited patiently. After a minute or so, she said, “I persuaded my mother to let me be transferred to a school near home, I told her I was proud of my country, I wanted to serve her if I could. I won my little battle after another year of being in England and was home a month before the tenth anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.” She looked at Peggy’s hand in hers and squeezed it. “I heard some of the grumblings start then, because we had given up and gave away our dignity, but I didn’t really care. I was seventeen, almost eighteen and I had gotten a taste of freedom so to speak,” she looked at Peggy again and stated frankly, “In England, there was a girl at school called Mary. And Schatzi, she may have been named after the Blessed Mother, but she was anything but chaste…at least not in bed. She lived by that old saying, women should be a lady in the living room and a whore in the bedroom. That last year at the cottage in Cambridge we hardly ever left the bed. I don’t know how we didn’t get found out,” she put her hand over her forehead, “It was an obsession. I think Mutti must have caught on and that’s probably why I was allowed to come home, but my thirst wasn’t satisfied. Oddly enough, I didn’t love Mary, she was too rigid outside of bed for me. We didn’t connect intellectually. She didn’t like art, books or music and we really didn’t have anything in common besides the sex.” Tatiana went quiet for a moment or two and said, “I think she is married to a conservative MP and has six children now.” She shrugged and continued. “I was restless when I got back, like a cat that was caged, I needed to roam free. Two years later I found my liberator, she was on a stage at a nightclub in Berlin.” 

Peggy nodded, “Gen told me of how you met.”

“Oh, Mein Gott! I was pathetic, at first, I walked in like I owned the place and I was going to have everyone fall at my feet. I was young, beautiful and imperious…haughty even. I would show Berlin what a cavalier Fräulein from Bavaria could do! And then I saw her, standing in a tux and top hat, her platinum hair brassy in the harsh klieg lights of the stage. It was as if cupid got down from his cloud, ran over to me and stabbed me several times through the heart with his arrow.”

“Oh dear,” Peggy said, with wonder in her voice.

Tatiana chuckled and shook her head, “I was a bowl of porridge from that moment on. I followed her around like a puppy dog. At first, she probably took pity on me, but then I knew she loved me and we had a grand eleven months together…” Tatiana trailed off with a wistful look in her eyes. She took a deep breath and let it out shakily and continued, “I didn’t know that my mother had been trying to contact me, I hardly gave a thought to my family in those months. Not even to the father that I revered so much. I hadn’t even known he was promoted to the Minister of Justice under Von Hindenburg. I didn’t know about the ill wind that blew in from my former home and the surrounding areas. I didn’t give a tinker’s fart about Hitler and his _murderers_.” She again trailed off this time for a much longer period of silence. Peggy thought Tatiana might have fallen asleep, but then she heard her breath increase.

“Don’t, Tati, you’ve got to relax, you’ll take in too much carbon dioxide again…”

“What do they call it…hypo…”

“Hyperventilate.”

“It is something I’ve had since childhood. I can’t seem to shake it.”

“It comes from being anxious.”

“It never happened when I was with Geneviève…”

“She made you happy and relaxed,” Peggy smiled.

“When I had heard she was arrested I passed out straightaway and hit my head, they said I was in a coma for three days.”

“Is that where you got the scar?”

“No, Liebchen, that is a present from Mein dear Papa’s guard. I was going to kill my father. He took the knife from me and tried to take my face off. I swear, that bastard would have cut my jugular until I bled out all over the floor, but my father stopped him. I guess I should have been thankful to him,” she said, her voice was venom laced. “Instead I just spit in it. They wouldn’t let me go to the prison to see her and they shuffled me off to an estate near Gleichberge in the hills of Thuringia. I was then transferred to a castle that had belonged to Albrecht the 2nd in Römhild, from there it was a different place every few months. I’ve lost count by now. I didn’t really care, I wished I was dead. I was sure they had killed my love and I would plot every day the bastards deaths. I think they kept moving me so that I didn’t get a chance to get familiar with the surroundings and either escape or kill them all. After a while, they used drugs to keep me quiet. It was started by a little opium in my hashish, they had this pretty little maid bring it to me, the Sweinhunds! I got hooked, the maid looked a little like my own kesser vati, Geneviève…I was starved for connection, for _fucking_ ,” Peggy blinked at the curse Tatiana used, she hadn’t heard it used by a woman before and really only one other time, when she overheard one of Michael’s friends talking about a night out in London. Tatiana continued, “and then I was only hungry for the opium, but the smoking wasn’t enough.” She rolled back the duvet to reveal her arm, she had small pin pricks that had made scars in the crook. “I am surprised I didn’t die…I should have…”

“You wanted to…”

Tatiana nodded her head.

“Then they moved me to Bavaria, in the Alps, my own Mutti was allowed to see me and she immediately got to work on securing my release. They would only do it on one condition, it was of my father’s…”

“Which was?”

“That I would marry…a man,” Tatiana said, with disdain. “It’s not that I hate men, you see, my brothers are a shining example of their virtues. “They all denounced Hitler and moved to either Britain or America as the Nazis came to power. They are fighting for the good people of the world.” She said proudly, then her tone grew icy again. “I knew it was a way my father wanted to torture me. So, I asked Mutti to look up an old friend and luckily, he was willing to help. He would be the very man the Nazis would approve of, blond, strapping, blue-eyed Aryan poster boy. We were the very picture of domesticity. We…even made a baby together…”

Peggy was shocked and Tatiana looked a little pained.

“What’s wrong?” Peggy asked.

“I…it’s hard to say.”

“You don’t have to…”

“The father of my child, is…Friederich…”

Peggy looked at her inquisitively, the penny hadn’t dropped.

Tatiana explained further, “You may know him as The Fox.”

Peggy’s mouth opened as all the implications, that piece of information revealed, dawned on her one by one and it was her turn to get a pained look causing Tatiana to reach out for her hand in comfort.

“But he’s a red-headed Frenchman…”

“He dyed his hair red, he’s normally as toe-headed as they come. He’s what the Nazis aspired the country to espouse. And he’s from Vienna, he just plays a good Frenchman for the Resistance. Anyway, it didn’t take much to convince my father that he was a good man for me. There were so many times I wanted him to dress as a woman and go to my parent’s for dinner, but I didn’t want to do that to my mother. Friederich almost convince me to wear the tux to our wedding and he would wear the dress, but again, my mother would have been the one to suffer,” she sighed out before speaking again, “They have told me what has happened to him.” Tatiana’s voice broke and she went quiet again. A tear escaped Peggy’s eye, she remembered the night they had heard what happened and Édouard’s profound grief, Tatiana reached up and quickly wiped the tear away. “Oh, Liebchen, I wish we did not have to meet in such circumstances. Our little group was a lot of fun, you would have liked it.” She smiled. “We were a family, keeping each other safe in such a crazy time and laughing…it was like it would never stop.” She became quiet again, and then spoke softly. “I owe him a lot. It’s because of him that I have my little boy. He helped me get that poison out of my system and survive the sickness that came from not having it. He, along with my mother, saved my life. I wish I had been able to do the same for him.”

“So, do I,” Peggy said, as another tear slipped out of her eye.

“You are such a dear girl,” Tatiana said, and hugged Peggy to her. “So brave and everything that is right with this stupid world.”

“I should have stopped them from going that night, I should have…”

Tatiana pulled back, “No, no, mein Schatz, don’t do that to yourself, you couldn’t have known. Even if I were there, I would still have the same regret. No, you can’t do that. We live now for the future, what we can do now.”

Suddenly Peggy had a question that made her heart pound, “Wait, if the Fox was with you and then went to Gen, why didn’t she know you to be alive?”

Tatiana looked a little guilty at that, “I told him not to say anything, not until I was able to get Gerhard to safety. I was still under my father’s surveillance. She was also an integral part of The Resistance by then, if he told her, she most certainly would have tried to come get us. As soon as he was conscripted into the German Army and France fell to the Nazis, he ‘left us for another woman’ and went to France to help her, I was glad, he would help keep her safe.”

“But if she knew you were alive, she probably would have come and rescued you.”

Tatiana shook her head, “I couldn’t have her take that chance. She escaped them once, if she was captured a second time, they wouldn’t have been so nice.”

“Nice?!”

“Precisely.”

Peggy knew that Tatiana had done the right thing, but she still was a sad that Gen didn’t know Tatiana was alive. But then again, they probably wouldn’t have shared those kisses.

Things were complicated.

A thought occurred to Peggy, “What about your son, where is he?”

“My Gerhard,” Tati brightened at the thought. “He is with his governess somewhere safe. As soon as I can I’m going to go back to him, but now, there is something I can help with.”

“I’m glad he’s safe,” Peggy said sincerely, she was also glad that Tatiana was cautious about revealing where he was. She surmised her father would be trying to find out where they were. She yawned uncontrollably and then remembered what Tatiana had just said, “Oh, what is it that you’re helping with?”

Tatiana noticed that Peggy’s eyelids were very heavy.

“You are tired, Liebling. I am worn out also, let’s sleep and we’ll discuss all with Herr Churchill.”

Peggy nodded and made herself more comfortable on the pillow, she was out before she could say anything else. Tatiana leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

“Schlaf gut, mein Schatzi,” she whispered and then lay back on the bed, heartened that this strong woman, though still so young, would soon be the hero that everyone needed.

*****

“Did you have a good nap, dear girl?” Mrs. Churchill said to Peggy as she handed her a cocktail.

“Yes. Sorry, I didn’t mean to sleep so long.”

“I thought she was going to sleep until morning,” Tatiana said, with a laugh as she also accepted a cocktail from Mrs. Churchill.

“Poor dear, she’s exhausted, we should have let her sleep.”

“No, it’s okay…I rarely ever got more than three hours sleep these past two months. I’m used to it now, besides I slept on the plane,” she lied, she had been awake the whole time and fuming. Plotting how she would escape back over to Europe to search for Gen.

“That’s the life of a soldier,” The Prime Minister said from his chair, waiting to be served his own cocktail. “Thank you, Clemmy. I remember in the Boer War, I practically slept on my horse.”

“You were there as a correspondent.” Tatiana said, approvingly. “And helped some people escape from a prison there?”

“Yes, my dear. Chiefly, myself,” he laughed and sipped his drink. “But I did manage to take a few men with me.”

Clementine put her hand on his shoulder proudly, “My hero,” she said, as she rubbed his arm.

He looked at Peggy and winked, “And now, Miss Carter, it will be your turn to play the hero and help us unhook someone that is being held prisoner.”

Peggy’s stomach lurched, maybe they found Gen…

“Wh-who?”

“Dr. Abraham Erskine, my dear. A scientist who is being held in Castle Kauffman in the Bavarian Alps. We and the Americans have an interest in what he’s developing. We need someone to infiltrate and liberate him before he’s able to perfect it. They have been feeding him lies that his family will be killed if he doesn’t comply, but you see, his family has perished already at Dachau.”

Clementine tutted and Peggy gasped, “How horrid…”

“Their barbarism knows no bounds, my dear,” his eyes narrowed, “The Nazis,” he pronounced this as ‘Nah-zees’ “and H.Y.D.R.A. will stop at nothing to further their take over of the free world and if his serum is successful, while he is in the hands of the enemy, that take over will be almost instantaneous.”

“What do I need to do?”

“Good girl,” Churchill said and smiled at her. He then tipped his head towards Tatiana and explained, “The lovely Tatiana will be filling you in on the where and how. She knows the layout. Those barbarians had her captive there in 1938.”

“Before they sent me to my mother after I agreed to marry Freidrich…” Tatiana added. “It was there they had given me the needles.” She absently rubbed at the inside part of her left arm.

“That’s how they operate, get you hooked on something or another, a drug, or the promise of being with your family that is already dead. Fear, intimidation, self-loathing, debasement, all things to which you, my dear, seem impervious to. I have no doubt in my mind that you will be able to successfully carry out this task. I am so glad you were able to come to your senses in France.”

Peggy looked down at her glass sheepishly, “With a little help from you, Sir.”

Churchill looked pleased at that.

“Well, it’s in the past. Now we look to the future!” He held up his glass in a toast. “To the future, may we meet here again in a month’s time and toast the successes of this wonderful girl!”

They all toasted to Peggy’s successful mission.

Later after dinner, as Tatiana and The Prime Minister were playing a game of bezique, Clementine came over to Peggy who was sitting by the fire, staring into it.

“I’d say ‘a penny for your thoughts’, but I’m afraid their true value would bankrupt us all.”

Peggy looked up and smiled at her, “I’m afraid they wouldn’t get much on the open market.”

“Mind if I sit with you, dear?”

“Not at all,” Peggy said and made sure there was enough room on the sofa.

“Winston has an insatiable thirst for cards.” Just then a loud rush of laughter came from that part of the room and Peggy saw that Tatiana was pulling cards from the Prime Minister’s hand and scoring points gleefully on her chit. “He seems to have met his match in Tatiana,” she said with a smile.

“He’s looking well tonight.”

“Much better since _you_ were brought back.”

“I’m sorry,” Peggy said quietly and looked at the brandy that she had forgotten was still in her glass.

“Oh, don’t be, my dear. Now, I won’t hear any more apologizing. You were carrying out a mission you felt was necessary to see to its completion. Besides, you have no idea how many times I want to extract him from the top of 10 Downing Street during the bombing raids.”

Peggy blinked in astonishment, “He stands on the roof during the raids?” She said in a hushed whisper.

“I used to think he had a death wish, but now I’ve come to realize that he’d rather be in the thick of the fight and that’s his way of getting involved. It’s why he takes such an interest in the people who will carry out these special missions for him. They are precisely what he would want to have done.”

Peggy understood that completely, “At one time I couldn’t imagine being in the fight and now I _cannot_ imagine being left out of it.”

“Exactly,” Clementine said and patted Peggy’s hand. The two descended into a comfortable silence for a few minutes as they sipped their brandies and watched the other two across the room, play their card game for a while.

“Thank you,” Peggy said, quietly.

“For what my dear?”

“For bringing Tatiana here to meet me.”

Clementine looked squarely at Peggy after a few moments of being astonished that she was found out.

“How did you know it was me who invited her here?”

Peggy sipped her brandy and shrugged, “The information about this new mission was something that the Prime Minister could have easily briefed me on himself, but I realize now why I needed to hear it from her.”

“You are a brave and honorable girl, Peggy Carter. I put myself in your shoes and knew you truly wouldn’t have let go of your mission unless you knew there were someone else there to take up that banner. Sure, Leon is there, but a wife…” she looked over at her husband and then at Tatiana and sighed, “…a wife’s love and responsibility towards their mate is nigh on unbreakable.”

Peggy sighed deeply and nodded, “Thank you,” she leaned over and kissed Clementine on the cheek. “ _Clemmy_.” She added and watched as an ever wider smile bloomed on the older woman’s face.

“Always ready to do my bit for King and Country,” she said, sincerely, holding up her brandy. The toast was broken up by another exclaim, this time it was the Prime Minister who cheered as Tatiana sat indignantly, watching him add up the double bonus points he just won. His cigar was bouncing up and down as he gleefully counted the points out loud and scored them.

Peggy smiled as she watched, she had the feeling everything was going to be just fine and with friends like these, she could go up against anything and win.

*****

_New York City, May 1947_

A mere few hours after the big ball of metal, formerly known as the Roxxon Refinery, had imploded and she and Mr. Jarvis had narrowly missed being sucked into it, Peggy was back at the L&L.

The adrenaline still coursed through her veins, which hadn’t made for a very restful sleep, but she didn’t really need it after a night like that. She was close to finding out who was behind it all, she could feel it. Right now, she just needed to take care of her hunger, and then she’d be able to do a little research.

Mal saw the revolving door swing open and looked at Angie with a smirk, “Hey, that English broad just came in,” he said, as he thumbed towards the door.

Angie who had been talking to Junie narrowed her eyes at Mal, “She’s a lady, Mal. Not a broad,” Angie said, with her nose in the air as she made her way out to the front.

“Oh, excuse me. ‘Her highness’, then,” he said, as he looped his finger in the air.

Peggy looked at Angie coming out of the door and smiled before giving her a silent questioning look. Angie understood her meaning and cocked her head towards the back part of the restaurant, as she went behind the counter to get a pot of fresh coffee and a cup. Peggy nodded a thank you and went to her preferred booth. 

“Morning, English, you eating today?” Angie said, as she walked up to the table, put a clean cup and saucer down and poured her a cup of the steaming liquid inside. Peggy’s stomach was growling so loud she hoped Angie hadn’t heard it. “That so? And what else did you do last night, Lady Tummy?” Angie said, animatedly, with an astonished and inquisitive look at Peggy’s stomach.

Peggy laughed and said, “Two eggs, sunny side up, toast and rashers, please, Angie.”

“Bacon,” Angie corrected. “Anything else? Side of roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, perhaps?” she said, with a smirk.

“Oh,” Peggy sighed and crossed her hands over her stomach to hopefully muffle the growls. “That sounds heavenly,” her eyes grew wide as she thought of the roast potatoes that would go with them, their outside, crusty, flaky, and brown, with an inside that was as light and fluffy as the billowy clouds in the sky. And the cauliflower cheese, with its bubbling, creamy, cheesiness, and crumbed top roasted to a golden-brown. It had her mouth salivating. 

Angie saw the look in Peggy’s eyes and regretted her joke, the poor woman was indeed hungry and obviously pining for some good home cooking.

“Sorry, there, Peg. I shouldn’t have joked.”

“Don’t be, Angie. I-my current place of residence doesn’t have a kitchen and I forgot to pick something up before I went home last night.”

“We’re open late, you should have stopped by.”

“I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open,” Peggy lied.

She couldn’t very well tell Angie that she had only made it back to her room after two a.m., what would she have thought of her?

“I’ll go get your order started, and some cookies,” she added, as she heard Peggy’s stomach talk to her again.

“That’s perfect,” Peggy said, gratefully. “Could I also trouble you for a bottle of milk?”

“You betcha,” Angie said with a wide cheery smile that had Peggy’s heart doing its own flutter.

‘Oh dear,’ Peggy thought. She tried not to think anymore about it, she had some work to do. She got out her pad and pen to write down some of the things she needed to check up on.

Her thoughts, however, didn’t cooperate, and instead, kept going back to that smile.

Angie was back quickly with the bottle of milk and the plate of cookies; Peggy was just able to turn the page so as not give away what she had been sketching.

“There you go, English. Toll house cookies and cold milk to go with it!” she said, as she placed the glass that had been upside down over the top of the bottle in front of her. Next, she pulled off the bottle’s aluminum top and deftly poured her a glass.

Peggy’s heart was beating hard as she watched Angie serve her, but she managed a thankful smile and nod. She wasn’t entirely sure that Angie hadn’t seen the smile she had been sketching in her pad. But Angie didn’t let on. Or at least she didn’t get a chance to as Mal called her back to the kitchen.

Angie rolled her eyes towards the kitchen but looked back at Peggy concernedly when she heard her stomach growl again. She looked into Peggy’s hungry eyes and smirked, “Try not to eat them whole,” pointing towards the plate of cookies, “I may know mouth to mouth, but people will get ideas,” she added with a cheeky wink and then she was gone.

Peggy sat and stared for a few beats as she her mind played out the visual that Angie’s words just conjured up for her, but then her stomach growled again and she got started on the plate of cookies; grateful that no one was around to see her wolf them down and then skull the glass of milk down in practically one go.

After a while, Carla brought out her food and explained, “Angie had to help Junie with a pie she’s trying to make. One of Mrs. Martinelli’s Italian specialties,” Carla said, apologetically. “Need anything else, Peg?”

“No thanks, Carla, this will do. Oh, hang on. I’m sorry, mine was only two eggs,” she said, as she looked at three sunny side up eggs in her plate. Not that she was complaining, it was just that she thought it might be someone else’s order.

“Angie said she thought you should have three. Something about ‘Lady Tummy’ talking to her and changing your original order,” Carla shrugged.

Peggy laughed and said, “Cheers.”

“You’re welcome,” she said with a smile, but this time there was no flutter.

*****

Peggy was tucking into her food happily as Jarvis walked in and sat in the booth behind her. After the perfunctory greetings, they talked about what had happened the night before in between the somewhat lady like bites Peggy had started to take as soon as he came in. She asked him if he wanted anything and was glad when he declined. His wife, he said, had made him a frittata, with mushrooms and swiss cheese. She was also glad that he was droning on about how it was made, so that she could satisfy her hunger without having to answer back, except now and again, with little more than a few approving hums.

After her hunger was finally sated, Carla came over and cleared her plates, leaving only the coffee cup and the milk glass.

“Thank you, again, Carla.”

“Not a thing, Peg.”

After Carla left, she and Jarvis had gotten back to the subject of Roxxon, and the man with no voice.

Carla brought the bucket of dishes and cutlery into the kitchen and asked Angie if she could cover outside, if anyone needed anything. She had to use “the little girl’s room”.

Angie looked out through the window into the dining room and saw Peggy talking to Mr. Fancy. Her eyes narrowed at him briefly, she was still trying to figure out what he was to Peggy, but she didn’t want to get hung up on that. Peggy would tell her in her own good time. Or Angie would pry it out of her _innocently_.

Perusing the rest of the dining room, she saw that everything was still in order and went back to grating the lemon peel for Junie who was whipping the ricotta for the pie into a creamy consistency.

In the dining room, Peggy had just told Jarvis he would get used to not telling the people he loved, his experiences in this line of work. It made her think of the many times she wanted to tell Angie where she really worked and had stopped herself.

“What word did he use?”

“Leviathan,” Peggy said, with a steely look in her eyes.

Jarvis got up, putting on his coat.

“Get some rest,” Peggy told him.

“On the contrary, Miss Carter, I don’t think I’ll sleep for days.”

Peggy smiled, knowingly.

As she was writing down the address on the Daisy Clover milk bottle, she heard the creep of a customer from the day before, rudely call out for someone. Angie came out of the kitchen fixing the belt of her apron.

Peggy watched as he berated her for the powdered eggs he had been given for his breakfast. She could feel her blood pressure rising ever higher as he likened the food to worse than what he had in the Nazi P.O.W. camps. She briefly thought about taking out the gun she had in her bag, but quickly dismissed that notion; she didn’t want the girls to have to clean up brains from the floor and the door. Angie would probably never speak to her again. When he said that bit about _Angie’s_ brains not being her best feature, she was re-thinking the gun option and in preparation, screwed the cap back on her pen and put that and her pad back into her bag.

And then came the slap to Angie’s back side.

Her chest felt suddenly tight and she had to take an extra deep breath, but she did it slowly. Her nostrils flaring ever so imperceptibly, would have been the only indication showing something was amiss. No one, save her own mother, would have caught it though, she held it in so well. She heard his chuffed cackle and forced herself not to pick up the empty chair to her right, break off one of its legs and use it as a baton. Instead, she continued to move methodically and very calmly, gathering her jacket and smoothing down the flap on her bag.

Calm was the word of the day.

In fact, it was astounding to be so calm, for someone so boiling hot on the inside that she actually saw flames licking at the sides of her eyes. Peggy was at his side within seconds, dull fork in his brachial artery and speaking very bright and calm as she described in great detail what would happen to him if he didn’t find a new eating establishment. She was grateful that she hadn’t let him off the hook before reminding him to tip generously. Satisfied that he had gotten the message, she put the fork back on the table and made her way out of the restaurant.

As she stood there on the corner, eyeing up the day, she was thankful that no one had seen her murderous side, especially not Angie. She put on her sunglasses, breathed in the cool morning air and smiled. The air had just the faintest hint of bus exhaust in it, but who was she to complain? The future was looking bright.

As bright as that smile Angie had given her earlier.

God help her.

*****

Carla had been peeking through the bathroom door ever since she had heard the big dumb ox yell for someone. She didn’t want to go out there because of what he had said to her last week, she was afraid of him and wished she had a big older brother to ‘show _him_ what for’. She winced as she saw him slap Angie on the backside and laugh to himself. She wanted desperately to go out there and give him a punch to the throat, but she needed this job, and she didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize it. Just then, a knight in a gleaming white silk shirt and brown pants came up to the pig and Carla stood in awe of the masterclass of intimidation that followed. She wanted to cheer as his face got redder and redder, and although she couldn’t really hear what Peggy was saying, she knew the bastard must have been getting an earful, and then she saw the flash of steel. She wanted to squeal in excitement, but she didn’t want to give away that she had been watching. As he was taking out fistfuls of money and dumping it down on the table, she made a beeline for the kitchen as soon as she saw Peggy leave the restaurant.

“Hey, Ange!”

“Did you see what, Oliver Hardy just tipped me?” she had been looking through the kitchen window and saw him leaving the money. “What made him leave?”

“You didn’t see it?”

“No,” Angie said, still puzzled. “I was futzing with Mal about the gavone’s order.”

“Oh, che peccato, Angie! My god!” Carla exclaimed, with her hand over her chest trying to catch her breath. “I couldn’t believe it! I don’t know the whole story exactly, but your girlfriend was talking to him and he looked like he was in a whole lot of pain. I think she stuck him with a fork!”

“What?! No…”

Carla nodded at her and smiled, “It was so beautiful, I wish you coulda seen it!”

“Peggy?”

“Yup,” Carla nodded, enthusiastically.

“Ms. Prim and Proper English lady.”

“She’s a hellfire,” Carla said, excitedly

“Hey, youse two broads are gonna catch hellfire from me if you don’t stop yakking and get out there to the customers, we have orders piling up!”

Angie slopped the big creep’s replacement order into the garbage and caught an earful from Mal for making him redo it with real eggs and then putting it straight in the garbage.

“It’s paid for and the jerk left!”

“Oh,” he shrugged and then added balefully, “Coulda had it for my break.”

“I’ll make you one a fresh one myself. And pay for it to boot,” Angie said, as she left the kitchen, two plates in hand.

Carla patted Mal’s cheek and said, “You big, dumb palooka. Don’t worry, we’ll feed you,” as if she were talking to a two-year-old or a dog.

“Hey, Carla,” Mal said, warningly. “Thin ice!”

“I ain’t afraid of you no more,” Carla said confidently, twirling a fork in front of his face, as she thought of Peggy with one like it in the bastard customer’s side.

Angie just caught sight of Peggy walking down the street, and stared at her for a few moments, until she crossed the street and was no longer in view. She quickly remembered she had orders to fill and brought the two plates to the couple waiting for them. 

As she was collecting the tip that the creep had left, she thought about the sketch she had briefly seen on Peggy’s pad and smiled.

“I don’t know for sure yet, but I think things are looking up, Martinelli,” she said quietly, as a mega-watt smile made its way onto her lips. She flashed the bills at Carla.

“Look who’s rich!” Carla said, and hugged Angie. “I doubt we’ll be seeing that chooch ever again.”

“Here’s hoping,” Angie said, as she tried to give some of the bills to Carla who waved her off.

“No, no, honey, you earned those today.” Then she added, “Man, the culgliones on Peggy though,” she said as she pinched her fingers, and waved them, clearly still impressed. “Who would have guessed? You got such a good friend; what’d you say we pitch in and give her free pie for a month?!”

That made Angie’s smile deepen even further, and the rest of her shift was spent walking on air.

*****

The next day, Angie had off from work and no auditions, so she went to her parent’s house in Queens. She was currently at the kitchen table; helping her mother peel and clean the shrimp they were having for dinner that night and trying to find a way to talk to her about something.

“I got them on sale, your father is going to fall down dead, when he sees them! Dead!”

Angie smiled, and thought again how to broach the subject. Finally, she thought it was best to just get it out, even though the questions her mother would have for her would be painful to answer.

Her brother Vincent chose that moment to come into the kitchen.

“Ma, you got the keys to the scash?”

“The scash-a-bang? What for?”

“I’m taking Louie to Coney Island,” he said.

“What does he need to go to Coney Island for on a Wednesday?”

Vincent looked incredulously at his mother, “How does that question make sense, Ma? How am I supposed to answer that?”

“Hey, don’t get smart with me, Vin,” she warned, “You haven’t gotten too big for me to box your ears for you.”

“Oy, Graziano, take it down a notch, I’m just asking for the keys to the car, not to go a few rounds,” he said, as he mimed boxing.

“Oooh, scifos’,” she said with a smile as he came over and kissed her. “They’re over in my coat pocket. And don’t get full up on hot dogs, we’re having shrimp Creole tonight.”

“Hot damn! Did you knock over a bank?” Vincent said, as he saw the shrimp on the table.

She pushed him away from her, “Oh, Madonna, mia!” She crossed herself, “Such a joke and poor Rafaele not yet cold in his grave.” She pointed down at the floor.

“He didn’t knock over a _bank_ , Ma,” Vincent tried to reason.

“Statta’zit,” Mrs. Martinelli, said as she mimed zipping her lip. “Take the car and go. Wait, how come you have to go all the way from Queens, to pick up Louie in Brooklyn and take him to Brooklyn?”

“Because for one, you and Pop wanted to have a house so you moved to Queens from Brooklyn. A very questionable choice, I might add.” He looked at Angie who nodded. “And for two, he says he doesn’t have money for train fare,” he shrugged.

“More like that cheap ubatz’ doesn’t like to spend on nothing,” Angie mumbled and looked at her mother to explain. “That one still has his communion money.”

“Hey, Ange, don’t help out over here!” Vincent said, as he pinched his fingers together, palm turned up and brought his hand back and forth.

“Get out! Go! Before I change my mind,” his mother said.

He gave his mother another kiss, messed up Angie’s hair and was out of the back door in a flash.

“Mannaggia,” Angie’s mother growled as the door banged shut. “Do we live in a barn?”

Angie shrugged and flipped her hair back without touching it with her shrimp covered fingers, then got up from the table to rinse the cleaned fish under cold water in the sink; she picked up her mother’s batch as well.

“Grazie, cara mia.”

“You’re welcome, Ma.”

“You have any luck on that last audition?”

Angie shook her head.

“They don’t know what they want,” Mrs. Martinelli said, with a contemptable wave of her hand and got up to wrap the shrimp shells in the paper they had come in.

“It’s not a big deal, I just wasn’t right for it,” Angie shrugged.

“Oooh, I should save this for Mrs. Giacomo on the corner, she puts them in her garden. But she’s down in Florida.”

Angie wrinkled her nose at her mother, “Where you gonna keep ‘em until you see her again?”

“In the icebox.”

“Ma, just get rid of them before you forget and then Pop thinks something died in here again.”

Her mother looked horrified, “You’re right, Gesu Crist en Croce,” she said, as she crossed herself again. “That was bad.”

Angie had to laugh at the look on her mother’s face.

After the Creole sauce had been simmering on the stove and Angie was cleaning the rice, she felt she had sufficiently worked up enough courage to ask her mother what she had come here to ask.

“Ma, do you think some Sunday soon I could bring a friend over?”

“What friend?”

“Just a friend,” Angie shrugged.

“You know you can always bring someone over; you don’t have to ask…” Just then, it dawned on Mrs. Martinelli that this might be something different. “What’s this friend’s name?”

“Peggy,” Angie said, letting the name hang there.

“Peggy who? Do I know this Peggy?”

“Peggy Carter, and no, Ma, you don’t know her.”

“Where’s she from?”

“England.”

“England?! Over the water England?”

Angie was going to say something smart, like ‘No, England, New Jersey’ but she thought better of it and said, “Yeah, that England.”

Mrs. Martinelli jutted her bottom lip out and her eyes had an impressed look, as she thought about that while cutting the escarole for the salad. After a prolong silence she asked, “Is this a _friend_ , friend, or just a friend?”

“Just a friend,” Angie said, nonchalantly.” Then added more quietly. “For now…is that okay?”

“Okay? Okay, what? Of course, it’s okay, what am I gonna say? It’s not okay?” Mrs. Martinelli shrugged.

Angie stayed silent and kept swirling the rice in the pot before pouring the water out without letting the rice escape and filled it up with fresh water again. She knew her mother had more questions and she didn’t want to push things. Her mother would ask them when she was good and ready.

“What does this friend do?”

Which, apparently, was now.

“She works at the phone company.”

“Where did you meet?”

“At the automat, she’s a customer.”

“Don’t say it like that,” Mrs. Martinelli, scolded.

“Like what?”

“Don’t say ‘she’s a customer’, it makes you sound like a putane.”

“Ma!” Angie exclaimed, “Jeez!”

“What?! You have to think about those things, Angela.”

Angie laughed, “Okay, Ma. She’s a friend who comes in and buys sandwiches and coffee once in a while. Is that better?”

Her mother shrugged her shoulders and tipped her head to the side, “Va bene.”

Angie sighed.

“What?” her mother asked.

“I just wish it wasn’t so hard to talk to you about this…”

“Have I ever said that you couldn’t?”

“No,” Angie rinsed the last of the rice and poured it into a pot. “You haven’t, I just…”

“You bring your friend, and we’ll see.”

“Okay,” Angie said, as she toweled off her hands. A ‘we’ll see’ from her parents had always meant good things, so Angie relaxed a little.

“I just…” her mother started, then stopped.

“What?” Angie asked, getting tense again.

“Is it so bad that I don’t want to see you hurt? You’re a good, smart, wonderful girl and there are a lot of people out there who will hurt you.”

“Ma, would it be different if I were with some man?”

“Maybe,” her mother said, not really sure.

“Some men beat their wives, Ma.”

“Disgraziato!”

“I’m just saying, you know me. I’m not gonna let anyone get close that’s not a good person.”

“What about that, strunze from around the block?” her mother let out before she could stop herself, as she pointed towards the back door.

“I-I didn’t know you knew about that…”

She shrugged, “Vin told me,” then looked at Angie, not with contempt, but concern.

“It was nothing…”

“Yeah, nothing, you don’t have to lie to me, Angie. I knew that one was a _due facce_!”

Angie sighed, “She wasn’t two faced, Ma,” she said, as she sat at the table.

She looked at her mother for a long while before shrugging her shoulders and telling her the story. Leaving out the steamy parts, of course, and after a while, she felt lighter. Her mother got up and hugged her.

“See? That wasn’t so bad was it?” her mother asked while stroking her hair as Angie hugged her tighter.

Angie pulled back and looked up at her mother skeptically, then smiled and shook her head.

“No, it wasn’t. Actually.”

Her mother smiled back and then her face went deadly serious. Angie braced for whatever it would be.

“Six months she knows someone and then runs off and gets married?! There wasn’t even a war on! _Due Facce_!” Her mother exclaimed while throwing her hands up in the air.

Angie laughed out loud.

She really had the best family. While it was true ‘the thing she dare not give voice to’ to people wasn’t known outside the family, her mother, father and brother had known since she was little. Her mother had told her father it was because she had eaten pears rabidly throughout her pregnancy and he had thrown his hands up in defeat. Her mother always had her own theories.

The way they found out wasn’t sordid or shameful either and that made it easier for them to come to grips with it, for the most part, considering the times they were in. They still treated Angie like she was the darling daughter that she was, and she didn’t try to give them heart attacks by broadcasting what she was all over the place. Especially to Mr. Martinelli’s mother.

The way they found out was pretty natural. Angie didn’t know what she felt for other girls was wrong, and so when she was about three years old, she had declared she was going to be a boy when she grew up and her parents couldn’t dissuade her from her notion.

Not even when, at five, she had announced that she and Raggedy Ann would be married as soon as she started “earning real money”. The only thing her parents could do, was tell her not to tell anyone, especially not the priests and nuns at school, and hope she wouldn’t turn out to be a street walker or whatever those people became.

It was when in the first grade, when Angie asked if God made all people and God was never wrong, then why wouldn’t it be right for her to tell everyone how she felt? That her father said they’d have to start paying her off to be quiet. Her mother was against it because she certainly didn’t want Angie to be a spoiled brat and get the wrong idea about how the world works. But she relented when she thought of Angie telling her grandmother and the scandal it would cause. Since they lived in one of the apartments in her mother-in-law’s three family house, she thought they might be thrown out on the street. But one day when she was cleaning the floors outside Angie’s room, she heard her tell Raggedy Ann that they might have to wait a while to get married because she was saving the money that her father was giving her to help the blind and sick at St. Mary’s Hospital. She knew then that she wouldn’t have to worry about Angie too much.

Over the years, her family had less of a problem with it then Angie did, especially since they moved from out of Mr. Martinelli’s mother’s house, but even so, she found she had a hard time with telling them about people she might be interested in.

“What did you want me to cook? Anything special?” Angie’s mother asked as she stirred the rice in the pot and put on the lid.

“Well, I was thinking maybe I’d buy a roast and cook it here.”

“Why do _you_ have to buy it?”

“I just got some extra money working overtime at the L&L and I didn’t want you to have to spend anything on it.”

“What could a roast cost?”

“A rib roast?”

“A _rib_ roast? When is this friend coming? Christmas?”

Angie chuckled, “No, Ma. Sooner than that, but I don’t know yet. I haven’t asked her.”

Her mother took her hand into hers and patted it.

“You bring her when you’re ready, and you don’t have to buy the roast. I’ve got some money set aside from when your father won on the numbers; I’ll use that.”

“Ma!”

“Ange!”

“Why won’t you let me pay for it?”

“Because I have money and if we’re asking your friend for dinner, then we’re paying for it!”

“But I’m the one asking her!”

“And I’m letting you!”

“Why are we shouting?!”

“Because you’re both stupidu!” Angie’s father said as he came in the kitchen and hugged both of the shouting women. “You crazy broads…”

“Hi, Pa!”

“Oy, those pipes!” he said, as he rubbed his ear. “You get a part on Broadway yet?”

Her mother looked at him as if to say, ‘not now’ and Angie laughed.

“Not yet, Pop, but I’m close, I think.”

“Well…you know my offer still stands.”

“Secretarial school, I know. I’m not giving up just yet.”

“It’s something to fall back on,” he said, as he shrugged, took the paper from under his arm and sat down at the table to read it. Suddenly he folded the paper and sniffed the air. “Is that what I think it is?”

Angie nodded while her mother got up and stirred the pot.

“Oy vey Marie Sandissima!” he exclaimed, as he got up and kissed his wife on the cheek. Then he gave her a grave look. “Did you knock over a bank?”

She pushed him away like she had pushed away Vincent earlier, “Strunze, you and your son!”

Angie folded the napkins and watched her parents as they danced around the kitchen, alternately ribbing and declaring each other crazy, which to them was as good as expressing their undying love for one another.

Later that night, as her father drove her back into the city to drop her back at The Griffith, he rolled the toothpick that was in his mouth to the other side and asked a question.

“Your mama tells me you’re going to ask a friend over for dinner?”

Angie surmised her mother had told him when she had gotten up to use the bathroom and heard them speaking Italian in hushed tones. It was always how it worked.

“Maybe, someday soon,” she said, hopefully.

“Oh, _some_ day? I thought it was Sunday.”

“Well, I’d like it to be _on_ a Sunday, but I haven’t asked her yet.”

Things went quiet between them before he started speaking again.

“Don’t let it go too long, Ange. If you make a big deal of it, you’ll never get the nerve. Take me with your mother, I coulda been with her two months earlier, but I wasn’t because I kept worrying myself sick.”

“Thanks, Daddy,” she said, gratefully and pulled tighter on his arm as she rested her head on his shoulder.

They sat in comfortable silence as they drove along the FDR Drive, he liked to take the scenic route into the city, especially since they didn’t see each other enough for his liking.

A thought occurred suddenly to Mr. Martinelli.

“I think maybe you should just make a nice sirloin tip or an eye round roast, Angie.”

“What?” Angie was puzzled for a few seconds until she figured out that he was referencing the dinner for Peggy. “Why?” she narrowed her eyes at him, “Is this about the money again?”

“No, ya know,” he shrugged, “beautiful girl like you…ya don’t want to look too desperate.”

She laughed out loud.

She really did have the best family.

For the rest of the ride to the Griffith, they listened to music on the radio and sung at the top of their lungs. That was something they did together in the car, because no one would let them do it when they were in the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I updated this chapter with a few sentences to explain how Gen didn't know Tatiana was alive, I forgot to add that explanation in before I uploaded the chapter yesterday. :-/


	4. Looking Everywhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So many things to say and no time to say them...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a special dedication to everyone who is enjoying this story, I can't thank you enough for reading and taking the time to give kudos or comment to let me know. It warms my heart and restores my faith in humanity. 
> 
> Please stay safe out there, and remember, we shall get through this thing together! (Albeit, with at least 6 feet of distance between us.) Also, you only have one tush, please don't buy a million rolls of toilet paper! ;-)

“You lousy Krauts are in big trouble once Captain America gets here!”

“When I get through with you Hitler, you’ll be seeing stars…and stripes!”

The Captain America hour was on the radio at the counter in the L&L as Peggy was perusing the ‘room for rent’ ads in the paper. It had been a week since Coleen died, and she was living in the Hotel Flanders, which had been, at one time, what one would consider a grand hotel but now was run down and changing hands faster than Howard Stark changed dance partners. What it was for Peggy, was gloriously cheap, and relatively close to work and the L&L, so it had its purpose, but she really needed somewhere more permanent. Somewhere that she didn’t have to pass through a lobby and ask for her messages.

Her room search had been interrupted by the noise and she was now just sat there at the counter glaring daggers at the radio on the shelf in the kitchen window.

The simpering voice of the woman they called ‘Betty Carver’ really was getting on her nerves. The fact that they didn’t keep her a soldier, but made her a triage nurse, which was an honorable profession to be sure, had annoyed her and it stuck in Peggy’s craw that the woman was basically relegated to a helpless waif who gets herself captured and has to be rescued by Captain America all the time. The one saving grace for her was that at least they didn’t keep her nationality British.

“Nein!” Fake Hitler was screeching and the sounds of someone beating cold dead meat permeated through the tinny speaker.

Just when Peggy thought of taking off her shoe and throwing it at the radio, Angie appeared, and Peggy asked her to change the station.

“Oh, you bet, Arlene French beat me out for that part.”

Angie demonstrated her own version of Betty Carver, and despite the thrill of having Angie perform something for her, she had to remind herself not to speak through clenched teeth.

She was aware of Angie scrutinizing her as she found another potential place to rent.

“You moving?”

“I uh…lost my roommate.”

‘Bingo!’ Angie thought and pulled the paper towards her.

Peggy sat in quiet amazement as Angie quickly rattled off the description of the apartments in the paper and then translated what those nice words _really_ meant. She was grateful to have a friend who knew more than she did about the city. It had been pretty foreign to her and she appreciated the help wholeheartedly.

As soon as Angie suggested a place in her own building, she was tempted to immediately take her up on the offer, chiefly for being close to this woman that she had found herself drawn to. But seeing Colleen’s obituary on the opposite page made her rethink that. 

She turned Angie down as gently as she could, after a quick battle of wills played out in her head.

The last thing she needed was another dead friend.

Speaking of dead friends, “I’m actually on my way to see an apartment now.”

“You sure you’re reading the right kind of want ads?”

There was the innocent flirty way of Angie’s that had Peggy’s knees go weak and made her want to waggle her eyebrows and say something racy back, but she didn’t.

Angie might be offended, she reasoned.

Peggy might have misunderstood her friendliness for flirting.

Peggy might just be starved for any kind of sexual action, even just banter.

“It comes recommended from a friend,” she said, instead. In that Imperial British way, she sometimes had.

Later that night, as Jarvis toured her around the apartment Howard was offering to her, she thought of what Angie might think about staying here with her, but then dismissed that thought quickly.

She was still feeling the aftereffects of the adrenaline rush that narrowly escaping death at Roxxon had caused.

Although there were a hundred different reasons that she should stay here with Angie, her mind was rapidly firing off a thousand thoughts in the negative. Again.

They only just met a few weeks ago, she didn’t really know her.

It would be extremely hard to keep her world of espionage from her.

She might not feel the same way Peggy did.

Her family wouldn’t approve.

She didn’t want Angie to end up like Colleen.

Or Geneviève.

Or Steve.

The most logical of those thoughts for Peggy, besides the one about not wanting her to end up dead, was that Angie might not feel the same way Peggy did. Although, she had a sneaking suspicion she was wrong, she somehow didn’t really want to believe that and that’s how her thoughts, once again, turned to Geneviève that night. Gen had told her almost the same thing back in France. That she didn’t want Peggy to be like her or something to that affect.

A few days ago, after Peggy had stuck a fork in that big lummox’s side, she had felt brave and as if things would progress for her in the love department. Being friends with Angie had started to make her feel worried, like she would be corrupting the very picture of innocence itself.

It was always hard for her to have a stiff upper lip in bed at night. 

Peggy plumped her already plumped pillow for the fiftieth time and turned it over, trying to find a cooler spot. She was restless and hot.

The sable bedspread might not have been such a good idea after all.

She got up and went into the parlour to look for something to help her sleep. She opened one particularly promising cabinet and smiled at the well-stocked interior.

‘I have to give that boy credit,’ she thought of Howard. ‘He does know how to stock a drinks cabinet.’ She pulled out a bottle of bourbon and opened the bottom part of the cabinet, then found the glass she was looking for. Pouring herself a sizable amount from the bottle she let out a sigh and let her mind stray to thoughts of Angie. She had to laugh at some of the funny things she had said to Peggy recently. Well, Angie always made her laugh, even when she wasn’t in the mood.

Peggy stopped herself from thinking those thoughts. If she was going to try to be _just_ friends with Angie, she would have to. It would be the only way to get to sleep at night without a huge shot or two of alcohol before bed.

She went over to the record player and saw there was a Guy Lombardo long play on the turntable. She switched it on and dropped the needle in place.

The pleasant melody came out of the speaker as she lay back on the chaise lounge and closed her eyes. The band was in good form and she tapped a toe to the beat of the music.

The singer came in halfway through the song:

_Maybe I’m right and maybe I’m wrong,_

_And maybe I’m weak and maybe I’m strong,_

_But nevertheless, I’m in love with you…._

_Maybe I’ll win and maybe I’ll lose,_

_And maybe I’m in, or cryin’ the blues,_

_But nevertheless, I’m in love with you…_

_Somehow, I know at a glance the terrible chances I’m taking_

_Fine at the start, then left with a heart that is breaking…_

_Maybe I’ll live a life of regret and maybe I’ll give much more than I get_

_But nevertheless, I’m in love with you…_

She finished draining the glass just as the band was playing out the tune and cursed herself for being weak. She poured herself a second glass and after downing most of the contents, she sat there thinking and nursing the rest of the drink. At last, the adrenaline had been dulled and her eyes felt hooded. As Guy Lombardo’s orchestra was playing the bridge to _Music, Music, Music_ , she fell asleep.

“Chèrie,” she heard a whisper and turned her head to look at one of the people who sometimes invaded her dreams when she felt lonely and sorry for herself. She was surprised when she saw Angie staring back at her, with her lips in a pout. “You’re so conflicted, so young, so devastatingly beautiful and yet…”

“Gen?” She asked.

“Sure,” the Angie with the Gen voice answered back with a shrug. “Whatever you need me to be…”

“Why are you here?”

“You tell me…”

Peggy was getting upset at the cryptic nature of Gen/Angie’s visit. She just wanted her to get to the point, but then she realized that she was talking to Gen.

“Are you…alive?”

“That is for me to know and you to find out, Chèrie,” Gen-with-Angie’s face wiggled her eyebrows.

“I did try you know,” Peggy said, with a profound sadness to her voice.

“I know and I am grateful, truly. But now you have to do something for me, ma petite.”

“What?”

Steve came up from behind Angie/Gen and said, “Live.” He had a determined set to his jaw.

“Steve…” Peggy’s heart soared at seeing him.

Angie/Gen looked Steve up and down. The light hair, bright blue eyes, classically beautiful.

“I’d say you have a type, Chèrie,” Angie/Gen chuckled. “Even in the chest department. Mais no?” She cupped her sizable chest and quirked an eyebrow at Peggy.

Just then she was jolted awake by the glass falling to the ground and shattering. Cursing to herself under her breath she groggily got up and went to look for a dustpan and broom.

When all was cleaned up, as good as it was going to be in her current state, she walked unsteadily to the bathroom to try to brush her teeth without swallowing the toothpaste. Toileting over, she then fumbled with the clock to set an alarm, fell into the bed and into a gloriously dreamless sleep.

She would try to piece together the cryptic dream some other day, even though the message was obvious, she would find a way to stubbornly put it out of her mind.

*****

The next morning, she was up precisely at sunrise and was thankful that all she had to do was put her hair up in a messy bun and go to Daisy Clover.

It had been a struggle to leave the bed that morning, her mouth felt like she had been eating cotton and she cursed herself again for the amount of bourbon she had poured in her glass last night.

As the train she was taking, to the Daisy Clover distribution hub, made its first turn to head south it rocked to and fro harshly, almost as if she were on a boat in high tide, she made a promise not to drink bourbon for a month, by the third turn, she had sworn to give up drinking entirely. Her stomach lurched with every bump and jostle of the old train car and she had to take deep breaths and talk herself out of being sick.

Mercifully, she arrived at her destination in the meat packing district without getting sick on the train, but as she walked up the steps of the station, she smelled the curious odor of almost rotting beef and pork. It accompanied her all along her walk to the milk warehouse, wafting up from the gutter. As the smell of spoiled milk melded with it, she had to quickly run behind one of the trucks to discreetly get sick.

When her stomach had eventually given, what she hoped was all it could, Peggy rested her forehead on her arm that she had used to brace herself with on the truck and waited. She realized, with great relief, that she immediately felt better, the low headache was gone and the spins that she had started to experience had stopped. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a hose and looked around to see if there were any witnesses. Not finding any, she turned it on and trained it on the spot where she had gotten sick and then held it as far from her as she could get, while still being able to take some sips of the cool water to wash out her mouth and soothe her burning throat. 

Sufficiently refreshed, she started on her mission as Ruth Barton, Health Inspector. As the morning wore on, she was disappointed when truck after truck turned out not to be the one she was looking for and she cursed Howard for the umpteeth time that morning. It was his fault he didn’t have a lock on the drinks cabinet, it was his fault for having glasses that could hold a double, it was his long ago suggestion that she eat at the L&L for the pie, it was his stupid vault that got raided.

Then finally, she found there was a missing truck. The day hadn’t been a bust after all. She got the name of the driver and had made out her grocery list. But as she made her way back uptown she wished she could just go back to sleep instead of having to go to work. As soon as she remembered what her dream had been about, however, she pushed that thought completely out of her mind.

Sleep was for babies and sick people.

The good thing about being busy and a pseudo double agent, with the added bonus of being hyper-aware that if it were to be found out that she were working for Howard Stark she’d be brought up on charges of treason, was that she barely had time to give a thought to Angie.

Sadly, she found that even though it was light out, it was still hard to be brave about her feelings for the woman and so again for about the third time that day, she actively tried not to think about her and how she would have to turn her down again if she asked her to live in her building. She would deal with that when she had to.

After helping capture Miles Van Ert and being dismissed by Captain Dooley while Thompson was “questioning” him, she found herself back at the L&L.

At first, she walked right past it determined not to go in, but then she reasoned with herself that that would be foolish, she wasn’t a child and neither was Angie and if she asked her to live with her again, she would respectfully but firmly decline the offer. Besides, she told Jarvis she would meet him outside the L&L at 8 o’clock on the dot. So, bravery firmly in place, she went into the revolving door and spotted Angie behind the counter. She was busy talking to Myra who was over the counter. She watched as Angie was called to the window to pick up an order and brought it to Myra, handing her a steak knife in the process. Myra then took it to the booth side and gave her customer his steak dinner. Normally, she would go and sit at the counter so that she could talk to Angie, but today, since she was so brave, she followed behind a taller man who sat at a table near her booth and gratefully sat at her normal place, creature of habit that she was. She also was, as yet, unspotted by Angie. It wasn’t like she was never going to speak to her again, she just wanted to maybe put some distance between them. Maybe.

“Well, would ya look at that? Speak of the devil,” Myra said, thumbing towards the booth area as she came back up to the counter.

Angie narrowed her eyes at her and looked over towards where she was indicating, “What?”

“Carla’s new flame, just sat in my area,” she said, as she picked up two menus, on her way out to give them to the recent additions to the restaurant.

Angie looked and saw the tall man at the table and was puzzled. Carla didn’t mention having a new boyfriend, maybe it was so new she felt she couldn’t say anything until she was sure about him. But that wouldn’t explain why Myra knew about it, because Carla had long ago warned Angie not to tell Myra anything that she didn’t want broadcasted from down in the Battery, up to the Bronx and all over Brooklyn, Bayonne and points further North, South and West.

She also noticed Peggy sitting in her booth and smiled in her direction, but Peggy didn’t look over, ‘She must not have seen me at the counter.’ She shrugged. ‘I’ll just talk to her later, after things die down.’ She picked up a two of menus and went down to a couple that had just sat at the counter.

In the rush that happened within the next thirty minutes, Angie hadn’t been able to go over to speak to Peggy, she’d been busy with customers at the counter and with Mal’s attitude. He’d been in a real good mood tonight. And by good, you could say it was awful.

She was waiting at the kitchen door to possibly see if he would stop yelling about going back to his mother.

“I don’t know, one of these days! One of these days, I should just pack up and go back to my mother!”

‘No such luck tonight, I guess.’

“With the dosh you make here?” Myra said, as she fixed a clean apron around her body. “You’d be crazy.”

“Mal, we’re going to have to replace that burner down by the end of the counter,” Angie said, as she walked into the kitchen. “I’ve done everything I can think of and it still won’t go hot.”

“See?! Another thing I gotta worry about!” He threw up his hands.

Myra smirked at Angie, “Speaking of hot, did you see who’s sitting in my area?”

Angie looked at her curiously and shrugged.

“Yeah, you saw her, Carla’s _flame_.”

“Flame? Her?” Angie said, her blood pressure starting to rise.

“Ya know, the one she’s always mooning over.” Angie looked blankly at her and Myra straightened her head and opened her eyes wider. “You know, the British Pigeon that deep-sixed Stu.”

Now Angie was really puzzled and narrowed her eyes at Myra. She could tell she was talking about Peggy, but who was Stu?

“Who’s Stu?”

“The guy she ran off a coupla days ago.” She said out of the corner of her mouth. “He wasn’t so bad,” she added disappointedly.

“Wasn’t so bad? He was constantly laying his hands all over us and saying nasty things, I had a good mind to stab him through the hand myself once or twice.”

Mal sighed, “Ya see? It’s talk like that that’s gonna get my license pulled. Then where would I be?”

“Back with your mother?” Angie answered quickly.

He pointed his spatula at her, “Youse girls, you’re making me rethink the _half_ automat, half full serve restaurant. I should fully automate.”

“You’d still need people to clean,” Angie said.

“I’d bring in my mother.”

“You’re a real saint, ya know that?” Myra added.

“I know,” Mal said, chuffed with himself.

“I don’t see the big deal, so he was a bit of a blowhard pig.” Myra went back to the subject of Stu. “He was always good for an extra quarter tip if I showed him some knee,” she shrugged and stole a cherry tomato out of the salad Mal was putting together and popped it into her mouth, smiling at him as he stared daggers at her. “Whatta ya gonna do ya big lunk?” she said.

He was pointing at her, trying to keep his cool, “I don’t want to end up in jail, Myra…” She laughed.

Just then, Carla stuck her head in the window, “Ange, lei st’andando,” she said quickly and was gone.

“And another thing,” Mal said, as he looked over at Angie. “I don’t know about youse two talking in Italian to one another all the time. Sometimes I think I hear things about me.”

“About you? No…not you! Perish the thought!” Angie said, as she went out the kitchen door.

Myra laughed at Angie’s joke and watched her leave the kitchen, she sidled up to Mal seductively.

“Don’t worry Mal, I know some Yid words; you and I can speak our own language together,” She wiggled her eyebrows and winked at him.

“Hey, Myra…you got a husband and like six kids,” he said as a warning.

She sighed deeply, “Yeah…”

Out front, Angie looked around and saw that Peggy had left, she spotted her waiting for someone to pick her up. ‘Probably Mr. Fancy again,’ she thought and walked quickly to the window before he showed up. She had found an ad in the paper about a room for rent at the Griffith and she cut it out to show Peggy.

She banged on the window.

Peggy had been praising her newly restored luck in not having to turn Angie down, while she waited outside for Jarvis and then cursed under her breath when she heard the knocking. She knew exactly who it was.

“I found one!” Angie said, excitedly.

‘Oh, God, here it comes.’ Peggy thought. ‘Don’t look directly at her…’

“I’m late for my appointment!” She tried to crane her neck to see over the oncoming traffic. ‘He has to be close…’ she thought.

“It has its own bathroom!”

“I’ve no idea when you’re saying!”

When Angie issued the ultimatum and she didn’t see Jarvis’ car anywhere in sight, she realized she should just stop being a child and go deal with it. If she hadn’t wanted to see Angie at all, she reasoned, she wouldn’t have gone into the L&L tonight. Honestly, out of all of the establishments in NYC, she could have found one that didn’t have a light brown haired woman with stunningly clear blue eyes, whom she watched secretly for the better part of the last half an hour while she worked.

Still, she was going to be gentle but firm with her and put her foot down to insist that she couldn’t stay, she had an important appointment. Unfortunately, she was stopped dead in her tracks by the description that Angie was reading from the paper clipping that she had in her hands.

“That sounds…perfect,” Peggy gawped at the perfectness of the room description, the way Angie’s cheery demeanor made her feel and the fact that she was always looking out for her. It made her heart thump in her chest.

“That’s because I am…”

“Sorry?” Peggy said, blinking, her ears now seeming to have their own stuffed-with-cotton problem. Probably from the rush of blood that left her brain to places they shouldn’t go to just over this quick encounter.

“I said, that’s because it is, English. I mean the only thing that would make it better is if you were living next to me…”

Peggy was both delighted and disappointed at that sentence.

“Oops, you would! 3C if you need a cup of sugar!” Angie pointed cutely at herself.

‘I need it,’ Peggy thought, sugar, cream, and everything that went with it.

She unfortunately, stubbornly, quickly shut down that part of her brain from speaking and her hard exterior fought its way back onto her countenance.

“I really shouldn’t, Angie,” she said, as tears were threatening to spring to her eyes. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t make a very good neighbor.”

The look on Angie’s face and the fact that she was blaming herself for Peggy’s attitude towards living next to her, was really tearing at Peggy’s heartstrings. She briefly wished that the floor would open up and swallow her into it, or Jarvis’ car would jump the curb and come crashing into her.

Gratefully, she heard the horn beeping and she was saved. She managed a convincing enough, she thought anyway, goodbye with a promise to see Angie later.

After what Peggy just did, she hoped that she would still want to see her.

As she made her way out to Jarvis’ car, walking so quickly she didn’t allow him to open the door for her, she dared not look back at the restaurant. If Angie never wanted to see her again, she wouldn’t know what she would do and that thought, coupled with the look of disappointment on Angie’s face, was making the lump that formed in her throat painfully hard. When she slid into the seat of the car and they greeted each other very Britishly, she kept her eyes trained on him and willed that lump, that grew ever harder, not to break for fear of the flood of tears that would follow.

Jarvis probably wouldn’t approve of her blubbing and they had a mission to accomplish.

As they made their way out to Cedar Grove, she was actually glad for once that the Captain America hour was blaring from the radio, until she heard that simpering idiot, Betty Carver, spewing dialog worse than the bile that had come out of her that morning.

The next few hours were a bit of a blur. Peggy didn’t expect to have quite an eventful evening or she would have worn more sensible shoes. The ones she had on were just a bit too high heeled for all of this running, punching and fighting.

It wasn’t until they were on Mountain Avenue heading back towards interstate 80, which would take them back to Manhattan, that she remembered that look on Angie’s face as Peggy had turned her down, her heart had plummeted to where her stomach should be and it wasn’t just because she had heard a noise on the roof of the truck. That noise, however, was more pressing at this particular moment.

She sprang into action when a shotgun pellet came through the roof and realized she would never get to make it up to Angie if she were vapored along with the street they were currently speeding on. Gratefully, when she got up on the roof of the truck, she saw a sign for Barbour Pond and devised a plan. If only Sasha Demidov would comply, then she would be able execute it to everyone’s satisfaction.

When he stabbed her in the leg, she knew that wasn’t going to be an option. _She_ sure as hell would come out of this alive, but she wasn’t sure about him. Making some quick calculations and deft punches to his face, she finally was able to free the knife from her thigh and didn’t hesitate for a second as she violently stuck his hand with it, effectively holding him in place on the roof.

“This is where I get off,” she said, blood pumping through her veins. She just had time enough to pull Jarvis, who was holding onto Leet Brannis, free from the driver’s seat and then let go of the truck herself.

A few moments after the truck plunged into the water she was blinded by the light of the explosion and then rush of wind roared past her, she ducked down and tried to take purchase on the edge of the macadam with her fingers, then she was scrambling to get out of the path of the wind shear that would inevitably come back to the pond.

‘Oh dear,’ she thought as she saw a tree, that had been ripped out of the ground, get sucked into the pond, which was currently imploding in on itself and everything else around it.

Thankfully not with her, Jarvis or Brannis.

As she limped back over to them, she was worried to see blood coming out of Brannis’ mouth.

Apparently, Jarvis had used him as a landing pad.

‘Bloody hell,’ she cursed in her head.

They didn’t get back to Howard’s apartment until well past two in the morning.

As Jarvis was patching her leg up, she tried to keep all thoughts from her brain, but he just wouldn’t let up on telling her all about the virtues of relying on others. Her thoughts went to Steve as she realized she did think of him when she needed to be brave. Somehow though, she didn’t think it was right that she used him for brave thoughts, when it came to her situation with Angie.

“No one, no matter how fit he or she may be, is able to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders.”

“Steve was,” She said without hesitation. It was true, he could carry it all.

But should he have tried to? She wasn’t trying to listen to Jarvis’ truth, but it was still getting through. She realized she would gladly have helped Steve heal his wounds, both physically and mentally. She thought about what she would tell him if he tried to carry it all on his shoulders alone.

And she thought of what _he_ would be telling _her_ now.

‘Live.’

“As you were,” she said to Jarvis, not conceding anything and tried not to tense too much when he finished stitching her leg. But as she decided something in her mind, she already felt the weight start to lift off of her shoulders.

*****

The next morning Peggy was up, showered and ready to take on her next mission. She thanked Baker for calling a car for her, even though the L&L was only a few blocks from Stark’s apartment, she felt that she needed to give Jarvis’ stitch work a chance to take hold. She didn’t want to pull them and have her leg start bleeding again. That just wouldn’t do.

She did, however, have the chauffeur drop her off around the block, she didn’t want to make Angie think she was a woman of questionable behavior.

When she went into the restaurant she saw that Carla was at the counter, and she gave her a wave, Carla smiled and nodded towards the booths. Angie wasn’t in view but she had called and made sure she’d be in today and Carla, who thankfully had answered, said she would be in at 9. She checked her watch, that she forgot wasn’t there, then saw the clock behind the counter and noted it was 8:58.

“Right on time, Peg, she should be here any minute,” Carla said and gave her a menu.

“Thank you, Carla, I really appreciate you helping me this morning.”

“Not a problem, anything for you,” she said, sincerely. She didn’t have a crush on Peggy, per se, she just was really appreciative of what she had done for her by standing up to Stu. It helped her to take a stand in her own life and she was grateful that she didn’t have to jeopardize her job to get that jerk to stop harassing her.

Angie rushed into the restaurant and didn’t stop to look at anyone as she ran into the kitchen, clocked in and put her pocket book and coat in her locker and then grabbed an apron and her hat.

“Sorry I’m late,” she said, a little out of breath.

Mal looked up at the clock and shrugged. “It’s 9 o’clock on the dot, kid. Don’t pop a button. But Myra called out again, someone’s gonna have to pull another double and Carla opened.”

Angie rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Mal said, “I know, kid…uhhh…I think she might be…you know…again…” he sounded contrite.

“Again?! What would this be?”

“Seven,” He shook his head. “I don’t know how her husband does it.” He said, thinking of all those mouths to feed.

“They’ve got books on that subject,” she looked at him with a smirk. “You can take them out from the library even.”

“Har-dee-har-har, smart alek,” he said and then looked at Junie who was busy working silently at her station. “Can you believe this one, Junie? She came in late today, you saw it didn’t you?”

Junie waved her hand at him in disgust and went back to making her pie.

Angie chuckled and fixed her hat, “Thanks, June!” She said, and the older woman looked up at her and winked.

Just then Carla came in and said, “You’re here, good! I’m gonna work the double, don’t let this boombats talk you in to taking it,” she pointed at Mal.

“No, Carla, don’t,” Angie said, sincerely. “I can take it; I don’t have nothing doing after work.” She didn’t get the call back she was hoping for yesterday. She was zip for two this week. The first strike was getting Peggy to agree to check out the vacant apartment in her building and the second was the call back she didn’t get from an audition she went on a couple of days ago. She decided she didn’t want to really strike out, so she wasn’t going to ask Peggy to dinner with her folks. Maybe someday she would get up the courage again, but it wasn’t going to be someday soon.

Carla went out with her to the front and told her she was going to cover the booths for a little while, just then Junie came out and went behind the counter.

“What’s up?” Angie asked. “What am I gonna cover?”

“Someone asked to see you and we’re gonna cover for you while you two talk,” Carla said, mysteriously.

Angie narrowed her eyes at her and then realized what it might mean. She almost didn’t want to hope, but she allowed herself a little bit and when she turned around and saw Peggy at her usual booth with a big smile on her face, one broke out on hers that was almost as big.

“Go on, we’ve got you covered, Ange,” Carla said, encouragingly.

Angie looked at Junie who smiled back and tilted her head towards Peggy. Angie nodded her thanks and walked over to the booth. This time she didn’t look around to see if anyone was looking before she sat down.

Carla came over and poured them both coffee, “Anything to eat for you ladies?”

“I’ll have a bowl of porridge, please, Carla,” Peggy said, with a smile.

Carla looked inquisitively at Angie, “She means oatmeal. I’ll just have the coffee; as I had a wonderfully filling breakfast at my surprisingly affordable place of residence, this morning.” She looked pointedly at Peggy.

Peggy looked a little guilty at that, “About that…”

“Yeah?”

“Would you mind if I came and took a look at it after work today?”

Angie squinted her eyes in thought, “Hmmm…today…I’ll have to see if that’s available…”

“Okay, you do that…” Peggy said, and sipped her coffee.

“It’s available!” Angie said quickly, and then gushed about how great being neighbors was going to be.

Peggy still had a bit of apprehension about it, there were still so many reasons why she shouldn’t live next to Angie, but last night, when she passed by the drinks cabinet and her stomach flipped, she realized the reasons of why she _should_ live next to her, were more important to her. She would just have to try really hard not to muck things up and to protect Angie as best she could.

She wasn’t exactly sure what that would entail and she knew she was putting her heart on the line, but she would do her damndest to make it work. Either friendship or something more.

If she was being honest with herself, she was holding out hope for the something more.

“You’ll have to have references and Miriam will want to interview you.”

“Interview?”

“She tries to intimidate all the applicants, it’s a thing she does,” Angie said, as she shrugged her shoulders and sipped her coffee.

Peggy was silently wondering if she should include her letters of recommendation from the Churchill’s but then decided against it. The letter from Senator Palmer would be enough, she felt.

“Okay, so later today it is then, English?”

Peggy almost said, ‘It’s a date.’ But stopped herself. The bravery was starting to recede.

“Later today it is, Angie. About five okay?”

“That’s perfect,” she said, with a smile.

The silence stretched for a few moments and Angie started to ask something, but thought better of it and said, “It’s not going to rain later, so don’t worry about bringing an umbrella.”

She took a big sip of her coffee and cursed herself for being a chicken. Her father’s voice was in her head, ‘Don’t leave it too long, Angie. You’ll never get the nerve…’

She couldn’t bring herself to ask; she’d leave it for another day.

“Well, I better get back to work, Junie’ll be needing to finish her pies. I’ll bring out your oatmeal.”

“Porridge,” Peggy said, narrowing her eyes, but a smile that was flirting with her lips had started to widen.

“I’m just trying to help you out, English.”

“I know and I can’t thank you enough for that,” Peggy said sincerely and finished it up with a breathtaking smile.

Angie’s heart was beating so hard she wondered if Peggy could see it and she had to turn before the blush bloomed on her cheeks in earnest.

*****

The next day at breakfast at the Griffith, Angie had an opportunity to ask the question she had been dying to have answered for the past couple of weeks.

“You got a guy Peggy?” Carol asked and Angie had to stop herself from closing her eyes and praying as she nonchalantly buttered her toast.

Peggy said something about being married to her work and Angie had to shake the image of her in a wedding dress standing at the altar next to a telephone. Her brain sometimes worked in overdrive.

She finally had her chance though and she took it.

“What about Mr. Fancy?” She asked without the slightest hint of her heart beating wildly in her chest as she was now applying jam to her toast.

“Who’s that?”

“You know, the guy I’ve seen around the auto-mat. Nice suit, nice car, nice shoulders?” she asked, as she kept piling jam onto her toast.

Peggy got a little flustered but thankfully she dismissed that notion.

Angie did a happy dance in her mind and then had to scrape half of the jam off the one piece of toast onto the other two she had in her plate. She hadn’t realized how much she was slathering on as she waited for Peggy’s reply.

Peggy excused herself as Angie was about to ask what time she’d be home that night. She thought maybe they could have a girl’s night to get to know each other a little better. Hopefully, she could work up the courage by then to ask her to dinner at her parents.

Miriam Fry interrupted that and then Molly got deep-sixed. Poor thing.

Peggy had already left, so she couldn’t ask her about the girl’s night. That was okay, she’d find a way to have one tonight anyway. Angie could be very persuasive.

As she made her way up to her room, she started to smile about the possibilities and then heard the crying coming from Molly’s room. She wiped the smile off of her face and knocked on her door.

Molly opened it and immediately embraced Angie in a hug.

“I’m sorry, Mol.”

Molly cried a little harder, “It’s my own fault, I should have had more backbone. Like you, Angie. You never try to sneak guys in.”

Angie wanted to laugh, but that would be too mean to Molly, besides, she didn’t want to give anything away.

No one knew about her at the Griffith.

Well, except maybe Sarah, but she had sworn she would never tell a soul and Angie believed her. She said she wasn’t interested in getting Angie in trouble, but she also wasn’t interested in a long-term relationship after Angie had said she wasn’t looking for anything casual. She shouldn’t really have told Peggy about what Sarah was when she was showing her around the Griffith the previous day and introducing her to some of her fellow residents, it had just sprung out of her.

“I’ll never forget about you, Angie.” Molly said, sadly. “Maybe we’ll keep in touch?”

“Definitely, when you get settled, you’ll have to give send me your address.”

“I will,” Molly said, her sniffles were subsiding.

“You need any help packing?”

“Nah, I got it. You better get yourself to work.”

“Okay, hon. See you around.”

“So long…” Molly said, quietly and closed the door.

Angie could hear her weeping as she went into her own room to get changed for work. She thought of what Molly had said to her, about not sneaking guys up to her room. Maybe she needed to sneak one up, just once, to stop any kind of rumors that might be going around.

She dismissed that thought right away. She wouldn’t jeopardize what she had right now for all the tea in China.

Besides, there was really only one guy she would have allowed to sneak up to her room. But when she thought of him, tears would inevitably spring to her eyes, so she instead thought of Peggy and how she would ask her to her parents’ house.

Plan firmly in place, she changed into her uniform and then practically ran out of the Griffith to work.

*****

When Angie got out that night, she couldn’t help her excitement. She thanked Junie for the pie she had made her that she and Carla split and walked in the opposite direction. Normally, she’d walk to the subway with Junie, but she just had to stop at the liquor store to get a bottle of something.

By the time she got back to her room, she had decided that was it, tonight was the night she was definitely going to ask her to dinner. No more, of what her father would call, ‘pussyfooting’ around. It wasn’t probably going to be until they had a couple of belts of the schnapps she bought, but it would be sometime before they got sick or one of them passed out.

Tomorrow was her day off, so she could afford to live a little tonight.

When Peggy said she was tired, Angie thought she had that argument pretty well shut down but then Peggy literally showed her the door and she got mad and when she got like that, there was no bringing her back from the brink.

Her mother called it the “Martinelli curse” because her grandmother on her father’s side would always be getting her back up about something or other and then be storming out of their place.

She wanted to stop it, but she just couldn’t. Not even when they got out to the hallway and Miss Fry was introducing the new girl. Dottie what’s-her-name.

As soon as the pleasantries were over, for her anyway, she said her goodbye to Dottie, brushed passed Peggy without little more than a no look wave and went back to her room. After the door was shut she stood against it and tried to calm down by taking deep breaths. She had half a mind to down most of the contents of the schnapps bottle, but then she thought better of it and took some more deep breaths.

A little while later, as she was undressing, she started to feel really guilty. By the time Angie was ready for bed, she was contrite and willing to apologize.

She went out into the hallway, looking to see if anyone was around, she really didn’t want an audience for this, then knocked on Peggy’s door softly and whispered loud enough for someone inside to hear, “English, you still up?”

There was no reply, so she decided to knock a little louder, “Hey, Peg, I’m really sorry. I hope you’re not sore. I was…I just…I’m just sorry.” Putting her ear to the door she didn’t hear any movement.

‘Man, either she was really tired, or she’s mad at me now.’

Against her better judgement, Angie decided to be irrationally mad about that last prospect and went back to her room in a huff.

For her part, Peggy was not happy to be trussed up with Jarvis going down into the hole in the floor of Howard’s mansion. She might have spent time in the sewers of New York City before this, but it wasn’t something she enjoyed doing. Not when her boss had chewed her out in front of the whole office after saving Jarvis from prosecution and especially not when she and Angie had what she would call their first tiff.

As Jarvis told her why he had been charged with treason, she thought of Gen in the concentration camps. It was about a year since she last heard from Tatiana and they still didn’t know what really happened to Gen.

Peggy was surprised to realize that it was Howard that had helped the Jarvis’ out as he did. She really had to start giving him more credit, but then she saw a used French letter floating in the sewer water and cursed his name again. She quickly moved her flashlight off of it, if Jarvis had seen it, he probably would have stuttered uncontrollably for the rest of the night and she needed him to focus so they could get this done and she could go home and possibly try to repair what was left of her friendship with Angie. Again.

However, when Jarvis managed to surmise correctly that Peggy also found it tough to balance not being truthful with Angie but always being honest, she wished he had actually seen the offensive item, instead of her. She didn’t know why, but she hated that he was able to see right through her without knowing all the facts.

She, of course, did the only rational thing and not give any credence to the fact that he had hit the mark with that comment, except a quick cut of the eyes his way.

Piecing together the evidence of where the stolen Stark inventions were being held, was like taking candy from a baby. Peggy pulled the binoculars from her eyes and smiled at Jarvis as they looked at the Heartbreak that was moored on the dock not far from where they were standing.

Sometimes it was good being her.

Well, all the time as a matter of fact.

She didn’t even mind the fight that ensued after the confirmation of the whereabouts of the weapons. It was always good for getting aggression out, especially after today.

Well, she almost didn’t mind, it wasn’t pleasant being slammed down on a table and having a two foot length of lead pipe being held against her throat by a big ox in a vest. She wasn’t sure but it might have been the blow to the back of the head that the overhead lamp had given her on her way down to the table, but she heard Angie’s voice correcting her British English and saying, ‘Wife beater’ to remind her of what the Americans were wont to call the white undershirt that a certain type of creep liked to wear and that she would call a vest.

It was when she realized that this bastard fancied himself a trachea specialist and was going to open a new airway for her that she started to worry. Her coughing was caused by her throat being constricted against her windpipe and then came a glorious respite as she realized Jarvis had smashed the creep in the head with a different lead pipe. He didn’t go down, however and when she heard Jarvis gasping for breath, she reached for the only thing she could think of, Howard’s failed back massager. He was neutralized in seconds, except for the fact that he was looking at her and could, by now, identify her to the authorities. She did the only thing a respectable spy would do, she picked up the pipe Jarvis used and smashed the creep in the face with a forehand Lenglen would have killed for. Hell, Don Budge would have killed for it, too. She had seen him win a title at the French Pro Championship in Paris in ’39, when her mother and father had taken her for her birthday right before the war. That had been her last thrillingly carefree memory before leaving school and going to work as a code breaker.

Peggy felt good about herself as Jarvis dropped her back at the Griffith. With the Stark inventions found and relatively no damage done, save for the Roxxon Refinery and a pond in New Jersey being destroyed, she was looking for some semblance of normalcy to come back into her life so she could repair her fragile relationship. Or rather, friendship.

*****

The next morning, Peggy tried to put the thought of that creep from the night before out of her mind as she ate some digestives and had a cup of tea in her flat before heading out to work. She decided not to go down to the communal breakfast and not to stop into the L&L to see Angie. She figured dealing with being accused of treason was more of a priority and she put on what she considered her best jacket in red tartan. If she was going down for treason, at least she’d be the best dressed British woman to be accused of it.

Walking in to work that morning she had the feeling of power, of being able to wield it whenever she chose and a sense of purpose. She would beat the treason wrap, or she would beat Howard Stark over the head with that lead pipe before going to the noose.

As she walked past the operators, she got the distinct feeling of being at a funeral. All the women were in a state of sorrow with many openly crying. She asked Rose what was wrong and was sad when she heard the news. Unfortunately, she was surprised when she felt sadness, but then she chastised herself for being callous; Krezmenski had always been another ape in a wife beater to her and now he was dead. She was truly sorry for his family. 

After being briefed by the chief about who was really responsible for the agent’s death, she went about her day in a bit of a daze. Sousa’s words kept reverberating in her head. It could have just as well been her. But then she remembered they didn’t let her do anything except the filing, food delivery and occasional errand. Still, a life had been lost, and creep or not they were part of the same team. If not the same species.

By day’s end, she surmised she had thought of Angie every time she allowed her mind to relax and the thought of not being able to tell her what she really did for a living was eating at her. She concluded if she couldn’t exactly tell her what she did, she would at least tell her aspects of her life that would bring them closer and learn about Angie’s life as well. If she were to die, at least one other person other than her parents might have cared. Okay, that was a pitiful thought about herself.

‘That’s it’, she decided, she would go to the L&L and bring Angie back to her room and…

Well, at least they would talk. If anything else deigned to come up, she wouldn’t push it away.

She hoped Angie still had that schnapps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song credits: "Nevertheless I'm In Love With You" Music and Lyrics by Harry Ruby and Bert Kalmar. Published in 1931 by DeSylva, Brown and Henderson.


	5. Put On Some Speed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a cool April night in New York City, but things are heating up...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedication: To my Boo. In the face of a global crisis it is you, who found the last pack of toilet paper in America, that I would follow to the ends of the earth and back. xoxo

When Peggy walked into the L&L that night, Angie’s heart did the flip it normally did when she saw her, but she stuffed the smile that would have broken out onto her face down. She wasn’t going to give Peggy an inch, for she knew how to make someone suffer with the best of them.

For her part, Peggy was hoping that smile she loved would pop out on Angie’s face when she finally saw her standing at the front of the restaurant, like she had done many times before. In fact, she was counting on it. When that didn’t happen, her shoulders slumped but she didn’t accept defeat. She walked to the counter and sat down.

Today wasn’t a day she was going to lose a friend.

Angie tried to keep up the ice queen routine, while pouring her a cup of coffee, but when she saw the look in Peggy’s eyes, she had to stifle the urge to pull her over the counter and into a soothing hug. She wanted to apologize for her stupidity last night and for anything that she might do in the future, just in case.

Peggy told her what happened at work and now she was truly sorry and chastised herself for being a little bit selfish because she felt grateful that Peggy had thought to come to her for comfort, which was why she blurted what happened to her cousin Ralphie. She realized what she was doing and thankfully stopped talking and let Peggy finish. Again, the urge to pull her clean over the counter and hug her had become strong as she listened to her talk about her co-worker and saw her eyes grow moist. She wondered if she should feel bad that she didn’t feel bad about the jerk Peggy was describing but felt bad about the way he treated her at work.

When Peggy asked about the schnapps, she thanked herself for not drinking it last night, or pouring it down the sink, like she had seen her grandmother do one time, with a bottle of wine, out of spite. That behavior she sometimes exhibited would be something she’d have to actively work on to stop, she told herself as she went to fill up the _current_ jerk’s cup.

“Mal, I’m clocking out early, it’s not busy out there,” Angie said, as she went to her locker, pulling the bobby pins from her hair that were holding the hat secure on her head. 

“Yeah, okay, kid. Just remember your Ma’s recipe for that apple crostata you mentioned the other day. I’ll give her a little something if it’s a hit.”

“Sure, Mal,” she said, as she took off her hat and then her apron, put them in the wash basket and retrieved her coat.

Myra leaned up against the locker and shook her head at Angie.

“What?” she asked, as she shrugged her coat onto her shoulders and pulled out her hair to flow freely onto her shoulders.

“Poor Carla’s gonna be disappointed.”

Angie narrowed her eyes at Myra’s reflection in the mirror she was using to fix her hair, “Why?”

Myra tutted and kept shaking her head, “And you, her fellow countrywoman, the Lana Turner to her Judy Garland.”

Angie really became puzzled at that reference, then it dawned on her.

“You mean Peggy’s the Artie Shaw in this scenario and I’m stealing her away from Carla?” Angie said as she turned around and playfully shoved Myra’s shoulder. “You gotta get out more, My, the kids are stewing your brain. Besides, Carla doesn’t like Peggy like that, she was just grateful for the Stu thing. He was really saying some nasty stuff to her.”

Myra watched as Angie retrieved her pocketbook and said goodbye to the other kitchen staff.

“I do gotta get out more,” Myra sighed. “Imagine, me getting a thrill out of a fake _dame_ love triangle story. I’m going batty.”

“Yeah, you’re going batty, always talking to yourself,” Mal chuckled.

“You shut it, or I’ll tell everyone this one’s yours,” Myra said, as she patted her stomach.

Mal went as white as a sheet, “Hey, Myra, don’t joke like that. I got a bad ticker,” He said with his hand over his heart. “I could keel over any second.”

“Don’t tempt me…” Myra said and walked out front to tend to the few customers that were left in the restaurant.

As Angie and Peggy walked to the subway stop, their conversation was light and free from any kind of talk about death. Peggy was thankful about that; she really didn’t want to bring things down too much.

Angie looked over at her, “That’s a nice jacket, Peg.”

“Thanks, it was a gift from…” she was going to say, Mrs. Churchill, but then she would have to explain why, so she just said, “My grandmother.”

“She has really good taste, it’s lovely,” Angie was feeling a little bold and looked her right in the eye as she said that.

Peggy blushed a little and looked down at the ground, “Thank you,” she said, quietly.

“You sure it’s warm enough though?”

It was a cool April night and it could feel like the dead of winter when the sun went down, especially in the canyons between the buildings.

“Yes, I’m used to it. I spent a couple of months in-” she was going to say ‘Russia in winter, during the war.’ Sniffing out H.Y.D.R.A. as a matter of fact, but she had to stop and think. “Switzerland last year,” she thought that it might look like she was hiding out from something, so she said, “-skiing.”

“On a phone company worker’s salary?”

“Well, I’m sort of a supervisor…and I had some money saved up.”

Angie thankfully didn’t ask more questions about that. Peggy hated lying, but she didn’t want to put Angie in jeopardy, or compromise the undercover nature of her job.

The train ride up to 63rd street was relatively quiet, each thinking of what they would reveal to each other once they got down to really talking. Peggy watched as a couple just made it onto the train while the doors were threatening to close on them, they were laughing and a bit out of breath as they regaled to themselves how they almost didn’t make it. As the train started moving, the couple was jostled closer into each other and after whispering their apologies, they looked deeply into each other’s eyes and then kissed chastely at first but deepened it as their passion increased.

After a couple of moments, a man let out a low whistle and others started chiming in with wolf whistles and cat calls. The couple finally realized it was about them and they pulled apart sheepishly. The people in the car were laughing, then started to clap and the couple took a bow.

Peggy looked at Angie who had also been watching the display with a wistful look on her face. The darker brunette thought about what would happen if she pulled Angie to her and started their own snogging session. There would be some cat calls and wolf whistles from probably some of the men and the bolder women, but then the names would ultimately come flying out and they would be shamed off the train.

Angie could feel she was being looked at and cocked her head to the side to look at Peggy. She smiled sweetly and the blush that bloomed on her cheeks made Peggy want to lean over and kiss her cheek. She stopped herself though, opting instead to just pat her thigh and then fold her hands into her lap.

Angie felt the touch and was burned by it. She got the strong urge to wrap her arms around the arm that was next to her and cuddle into Peggy, laying her head on the taller woman’s shoulder. But besides the unwanted attention from the people on the train, she was worried that Peggy would stiffen and pull away.

In a way, she knew it wouldn’t have really been something that would have been given too much attention by the others in the car. There were always women and girls who had no qualms about cuddling with their friends. She had friends who held each other’s hands or walked arm in arm down the street, but she could never truly be comfortable with doing that herself, especially as she grew older and definitely not if she had feelings for the girl. It had always made her feel bad about herself because it sometimes caused awkwardness in her relationship with her girlfriends. It’s why she mainly hung out with her friend from early childhood in Brooklyn, Jack, when her family lived on Ocean Parkway in Flatbush. 

She was thinking of him when all thought was suddenly erased from her brain as she felt Peggy loop an arm through hers and move closer. A guy who had just gotten on the train at the next stop had sat next to Peggy.

“Got a match, sister?” he asked her, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

“Sorry, I don’t smoke,” Peggy answered.

“How about you, doll?” he leaned over and looked at Angie who shook her head no. He shrugged, “Gotta give ‘em up soon, no one seems to have a light anymore.”

When he had asked Angie for a light, she could feel Peggy’s arm tense up, like she was getting ready to throw a punch. She put her hand on Peggy’s bicep to hopefully calm her and was shocked at the hard steel she felt under the tartan covered arm. As he was lamenting the lack of people with lights for his smoke these days, she could feel Peggy’s arm relax and she let out a breath quietly, surprised to find she had been holding it in.

Just then their stop appeared through the window and Peggy said, “This is us,” and effortlessly pulled Angie up from the seat. Again, she was awed at her strength, but was then immediately disappointed that Peggy had removed her arm from Angie’s to straighten her jacket. She tried not to let it show.

As they waited for the doors to open, Peggy looped her arm back through hers and the smile that she had kept in earlier uncontrollably broke out on her face, but she at least tried to keep it a respectable size. If she had her druthers, it would be able to be seen from the top of the Empire State Building.

They walked to the Griffith still linked arm in arm and twice more she felt the muscle in Peggy’s arm go tense as a couple of men they walked past had commented on their looks.

When the last man they passed said something about being their being kissing cousins, Peggy hesitated but pressed on. It was when he didn’t get a reaction that he decided to follow behind and pepper them with comments, like they owed him something.

When he addressed Peggy as ‘The Bull’ and told her that Angie should give his face a try for a change, because, apparently, it was a great ride, Peggy stopped and turned so fast that Angie, who was still walking, pulled her arm a little behind her.

“Excuse me?!” Peggy said, getting right up in the man’s face. She felt tugging on the arm that was slightly behind her and heard her name being called, but she didn’t pay any attention to it.

“What?” He sneered at Peggy, his pasty face breaking out into a smile of tobacco stained teeth. “You got something to say, _dyke_?”

Peggy narrowed her eyes even more at that last word. He meant to hurt her with that, it only seemed to embolden her.

“Peg, c’mon,” Angie said, a little louder, trying to get her attention.

Peggy heard the worry in Angie’s voice and decided not to punch him, instead she said, “I would, but I doubt _you’d_ understand it.”

She made to turn around and leave with Angie because she _really_ didn’t want anything to ruin this night and this oaf wasn’t worth her time or effort.

Stars burst from her right eye as she felt the blow to the side of the head, he had reigned on her. She heard Angie scream her name and that spurred her into action. As he reared back for another blow, she caught his punch in mid-air while Angie simultaneously jumped on his arm and scratched out at his face.

“Bitch!” he said, as he felt the scratch down the side of his face. “You better hope your wife wins, because you’ll be my whore if she doesn’t,” he menaced, then spit out some tobacco juice that dribbled down his chin and onto his shirt, as he struggled to pull his fist from Peggy’s grasp.

That last thought he put in her mind had caused Peggy to be focused beyond what she thought was possible. It was just him, her and Angie, who incidentally, was still hanging off of his bicep.

“ _My_ _wife_ , is no one’s whore,” she said, more menacingly than he had been, through slightly clenched teeth. “You’d do good to remember that, _Rodger_ ,” she said, noticing the name tag on his grease and tobacco stained shirt. She deduced he probably worked at some sort of body shop. With that, she brought her knee up like a shot, right into the center of his genitals. He let out a cry of anguish as all breath was suddenly gone from his body. Angie let go of his bicep as she realized what Peggy had just done and he doubled over in front of them, holding his sweetbreads in his hands before falling onto his knees. He coughed like his entire privates had been relocated to his throat.

“I…I’ll fuckin’…kill ya! Nasty limey snatch!” he managed to choke out between coughs when his breath had returned. 

Peggy’s right foot kicked out automatically and his head snapped back, the blow to it rendering him decidedly unconscious. She stooped over a little to catch her breath and then straightened up to settle her jacket and skirt more befitting a lady.

Angie was also stooped over, looking at the prone form on the sidewalk to see if maybe Peggy had killed him. She saw his chest move up and down and said a silent prayer of thanks when she realized that they wouldn’t be going to jail tonight. She hoped.

Peggy smoothed her hair and checked the side of her face to see if it was in one piece. Angie gasped as Peggy brought her hand away from her head and there was blood on it.

“Bloody hell,” Peggy cursed, annoyed. She was again worried that this night had been ruined, because of what this creep had said and done.

“C’mon honey, we’ve got to get you home,” Angie said, worriedly and put her arms around Peggy’s arm that was closest to her, pulling on it to make her move. “Let’s go, sweetie.”

Peggy’s heart flipped at the endearments Angie was giving her. She was also surprised but grateful that Angie didn’t want to call the authorities. It wouldn’t do to have her name in the papers, being the victim of an assault and battery; especially with Howard’s current problems splashed all over them. They might link her with him, and then her with Captain America and Peggy hadn’t gotten around to telling Angie about him yet.

Peggy pulled Angie close as they walked the final block to the Griffith and Angie squeezed her arm tighter, as her hero’s voice played on a loop in her mind, ‘ _My wife_ , is no one’s whore!’

The cat-burglar like techniques they employed to get past Miriam Fry at the front desk shocked even the SSR agent and they hurried up to Angie’s room quickly so as not to be spotted by one of the others. They didn’t really want to talk to anyone about what had happened, until they, at least, had a chance to decompress.

Angie helped Peggy out of her jacket and took note of the breadth of her shoulders, it was something she had remarked to herself when she had seen her the first time. ‘Probably from rowing at her girls school in England,’ Angie surmised.

“I got something for you to change into, so you don’t get any blood on that silk shirt.”

Angie went to her chest of drawers to pull out an oversized sweatshirt with ‘Brooklyn’ written on it in a collegiate script.

“Yours?” Peggy said with an eyebrow quirked, it was at least three sizes too big for Angie.

“Yeah,” Angie said, with a shrug.

Peggy decided not to push it and went into the bathroom to change. She wished she had some comfortable pants but didn’t want to trouble Angie to ask her to get them from her room. She regarded her face and head in the mirror. ‘Thank god he missed the eye,’ she thought, looking at the jagged cut near her hairline. She took off her shirt and hung it up on the back of Angie’s door, then washed her hands and face. Angie called from behind the door, “Crack the door open, hon. I’ve got something for you.” Peggy did as she was told and her comfortable black lounge pants were shoved through the door. “Also, here’s a clean towel.”

“You’re an angel,” Peggy said, gratefully.

Once she was cleaned up, as best she could get herself without getting blood over everything, she made her way out to the room.

“Sorry, I stole your key,” Angie said. “I thought you might want something more comfortable to sit around in. If you still want to stay a while.”

‘Oh yes, darling. More than a while, if you’d let me,’ Peggy thought.

“Thank you, Angie, I would like to stay a bit. I was promised schnapps, I believe.”

“You were, and schnapps you shall get. But first we have to tend to that cut.” Angie said, looking at her head concerned. “Here,” she gave her a white dish towel with some ice in it. “for your head.”

“Oh no, darling, I don’t want to ruin your tea towel,” Peggy said, worriedly.

“Pssh, what tea towel? It’s a mopine, my mother has hundreds of them, every time I go home, she gives me another fifty,” she said, with a dismissive wave of her hand and took her own clothes to change into in the bathroom. “I’ll be out in a jiff and then we’ll get started on that cut.”

“Okay, Nurse Martinelli,” she said, haughtily.

Angie’s face looked like she just remembered something, “I wish I had my costume from my junior year in high school. I was a nurse in a play. Darn!” she laughed, and then shut the door of the bathroom.

Peggy blinked as she stared at the door and imagined Angie in the skimpy nurses’ outfit, she had seen in Howard’s wardrobe the other night. She tried to calm her breathing and shake that thought out of her mind before Angie got back and thought her a pervert.

A few minutes later, Nurse Angie was back with a cloth, a first-aid kit, some ointment in a tube, and made Peggy sit on the bed so she could clean her wound. She pulled back a little as she saw Peggy wince when she dabbed at her temple with the cloth that had some soapy water on it.

“Does the soap hurt your cut?”

Peggy shook her head, “More like the bump underneath of it,” she said. “Oooh.”

“Well, you’ll have to ice it again once I finish cleaning and dressing it.”

“You’re quite the nurse, Miss Martinelli,” Peggy said, with a wry smile.

“You’re quite the fighter, Miss Carter,” Angie said, with a look of pride on her face.

“Oh…well…” Peggy hadn’t thought of telling Angie how she knew how to fight, and really she hadn’t shown any of the fancy martial arts moves that she was trained in, but still, a woman who worked at the phone company shouldn’t have a need for any of the training Peggy had done. “I…uh…I did a boxing course at my school. It was that or croquet and I was never really good with balls.”

Angie snorted a laugh out before she could stop it and immediately apologized.

“No, no, I walked straight into that one,” Peggy said, amused. 

“Ya kinda did,” Angie said, the smile on her face widening as she thought of what Peggy said again. “But I’d say you were really good with them, from what I saw you do tonight.”

“Oh that,” Peggy said, demurely.

“Yeah, that, DiMaggio. You knocked that guys stones into next week!”

“My mother always taught me to aim for what was going to render a man helpless without much effort,” Peggy said, with a shrug.

“You rendered him helpless alright,” Angie said, and then realized they had left him on the sidewalk. “You think we shoulda called someone to go look at him?”

“I’m sure by now someone already has,” Peggy said, sincerely.

“You think he’s going to make us?” Angie said, suddenly afraid that their descriptions would be on wanted posters, posted on storefronts and in the post office. She thought of her mother’s face when she went to the local post office to buy stamps and tried not to think about it.

“Not if he’s the pig I think he is. No, his story will be something like that of the battle at Agincourt.”

Angie shook her head and said bitterly, “That st’ucatz is no Henry the Fifth, that’s for damn sure. When you kicked him in the head, I saw tobacco fly out.” She shuddered and the look on her face made Peggy smile.

Suddenly the mirthful look was gone as Peggy became curious, “How do you know so much about English history and customs?”

Angie shrugged, “Picked it up here and there, I guess.”

“You know more than just picking it up here and there, Angela Martinelli,” Peggy said, and lifted the eyebrow, that Angie wasn’t currently dabbing at with the moist cloth to clean the blood that had caked there. “I doubt that if I polled one hundred girls your age, more than three would know that Henry the Fifth marched his troops into the battle of Agincourt, against France, in 1450.”

“1415,” Angie corrected automatically, then realized Peggy was testing her. “You fink,” she screwed her nose up at her and Peggy laughed.

“Where were the English trying to get back to…English held…Normandy was it?” Peggy asked, pseudo innocently.

“Calais,” Angie said, quickly and then swatted at Peggy’s arm.

Peggy went stiff and Angie immediately regretted hitting her. The English woman had forgotten that the town that Henry the Fifth’s troops were trying to get back to, before the French blocked their route, was, in fact, Calais and not Le Crotoy. Something she had always gotten wrong in her history term that year.

“What? Did I hit a wound? Did he get you on the arm?” Angie tried to pull the oversized sweatshirt down off of Peggy’s shoulder to see if there was a cut or a bruise.

“No…no…nothing like that, dear,” Peggy said, as she tried to stop Angie from pulling her top off. “I just thought I had forgotten something,” she lied.

It was more like she remembered someone, as Gen’s face had popped into her head when Angie said Calais. It was Gen from the day they sat on her bed and kissed like there were no tomorrow. Which, come to think of it, turned out to be true. Peggy’s heart raced as Gen’s face morphed into Angie’s and she suddenly felt dizzy.

“Oh, no, Peg, I think you might have a concussion,” Angie said, and put her hands on Peggy’s shoulders to steady her. “Here, lay back on the pillow and relax.” Peggy did as she was told but insisted she did not have a concussion. Nurse Angie wanted to be sure, and Peggy decided to let her perform a diagnostic check.

“How many fingers am I holding up?” Angie said, as she held one finger up.

“Five,” Peggy said with a smirk.

Angie looked at her finger puzzled, “Not double vision, but quintuple vision! We’re going to have to operate!”

Peggy laughed in earnest now as Angie leapt off the bed and went to get her big knife.

“Wow, that’s some knife,” Peggy said, in awe.

Angie shrugged, “Ma likes to supply me with cutlery, too.”

“I’d say you’re well prepared for an army sized dinner party.”

“You’re not kidding,” Angie opened a cupboard to reveal the many dishes she had in there and then another cupboard to show the amount of dish towels that she had.

Peggy’s mouth dropped slightly, “You weren’t lying.”

“Not one bit,” Angie said and put the knife back, then took out one of the towels to wrap up some more ice from her icebox in it.

The sight of Peggy lounging on her bed, with the sweatshirt slightly off of her shoulder, while she was propped up on one elbow and looking at Angie with what she would have called desire, was making her own knees feel slightly weak. She tried not to stumble as she walked back to Peggy on the bed. “Here, we should ice it again.” When Peggy went to sit up to make room for Angie, she said, “No, you stay like that,” and Angie deftly crawled cat like over Peggy and settled onto her side, holding the ice bundle to the bump on her head.

“I don’t have a concussion, though.”

“True, if you’re not complaining of the spins or vomiting, then I would say it’s just a regular bump, but we still should take precautions.”

“You mean like not going to sleep for twenty-four hours?”

‘I could think of some things to keep you up for at least twenty of those hours,’ Angie thought, but instead said, “That’s a myth.”

“How do you know so much about the medical field?”

“I took a nursing course in high school, then read a bunch more after I graduated. I was going to be a nurse, but something made me not take that path.” Her thoughts strayed to Jack and his time in the hospital.

“That’s a shame, you really would be good at it,” Peggy said, sincerely.

“I know, but…acting became my passion and there it is,” Angie said, with finality.

“You also still haven’t answered me about how you know so much of British history.”

“I read a lot,” Angie said, with another shrug. “And I had a friend who was from a Welsh/English family. He taught me a lot of it,” Another reference to Jack, she hoped tears wouldn’t start to spring to her eyes. Peggy might be weirded out by that.

“Ooh ddyn Cymraeg,” Peggy said, in Welsh.

“Yn union,” Angie answered, with a nod.

‘Oh, bloody Norah,’ Peggy thought. ‘The girl knows Welsh; she’s going to be my undoing. My heart can only take so much.’

“You really know your onions, Angie.”

“Are you taking the piss, Peggy?” Angie said, narrowing her eyes.

‘She knows British slang too…I’m well and truly done for,’ Peggy thought, as she sighed.

“You getting tired, English?” Angie asked, worried again that maybe this night wouldn’t happen after all.

“Not a bit, don’t worry about me. Really.”

‘I was just thinking how long is an appropriate amount of time before I jump your bones?’ Peggy thought with a smile.

Things went quiet between them as Angie switched the arm she was using to hold up Peggy’s ice compress. It caused her to move closer and lay into Peggy’s side.

Peggy was sure Angie could hear her heartbeat, so was pleased when Angie asked a question.

“Did you row at school?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact. Double sculls and coxless fours,” Peggy said, amazed again at Angie’s knowledge of all things British and being able to read her like a book. “How did you know?”

“You don’t get shoulders like yours answering phones, English.”

There was another stretch of silence and Peggy was the one to break it this time.

“I’m sorry,” she said, quietly. Angie stiffened and Peggy felt bad, so she tried to explain. “I’m sorry that fight earlier rendered our evening into a damp squib,” Peggy sighed.

“Don’t you be sorry for that, Peggy Carter,” Angie said, firmly. “Don’t you apologize for what that creep did. I won’t accept it. He got what was coming to him, I only wish I could have scratched his eyeballs out.”

“Well, then. I’m not sorry, but…I am still sorry that tonight is a bit marred.”

“You think I haven’t had a night worse than this? This is heaven compared to some of my nights,” she said, sincerely.

She took the towel with the now melting ice off of Peggy’s head, wiped off the moisture that had leaked onto her forehead and the side of her face and then moved over her on her way out of the bed. Peggy almost moaned out and had to sit up quickly and pretend she had a cough.

“You thirsty? We haven’t had our schnapps yet! What kind of hostess am I?”

“A kind one,” Peggy said and felt her head. The bump had gone down considerably. “Thoughtful, brave…”

Angie laughed, “Looking into the mirror, Peg?” she said, mischievously as she got the glasses out and set them on the counter. She then put the bottle of schnapps under one arm and picked up the glasses and moved to Peggy, giving the glasses to her, then poured each of them a drink.

“Steady on,” Peggy said, as Angie looked at her as if to say, ‘Say when.’ “There’s a good girl.” Peggy said, with a nod, after she had poured a couple of jiggers more.

Angie poured the same amount in her glass and then put the bottle on the nightstand. She crawled onto the bed, careful not to spill her drink and then sat back on the bed next to Peggy. She held her glass up to her and Peggy clinked hers with it and said, “Cheers.”

“Cheers, English,” Angie said, with a wink.

Peggy watched to see if Angie would skull it back like _she_ had learned to or drink it demurely. Angie took the latter, so Peggy did as well.

“Oooh, that’s good, is that apricot?” Peggy asked, impressed. She was thankful Angie didn’t want to have bourbon or something like that.

“Mmmm,” she hummed appreciatively. “Yes, my favorite. Though, I should have had the correct glasses, but my Ma didn’t expect me to be drinking liqueurs, I guess.”

They laughed at that.

“I never really have asked you much about your family, as a matter of fact. I feel like I should know more about them,” Peggy said, and then thought. ‘If I’m to accost their daughter in ways that probably aren’t legal.’

“What do you want to know?” Angie suddenly felt nervous, like Peggy wouldn’t find them interesting.

“Well, for starters, how many siblings do you have? I think I’ve heard you mention a brother...”

“I have…well _had_ two. I just have my brother Vincent now.”

“What happened?”

“The war…” Angie said, quietly.

“I’m sorry, darling…” Peggy said, sincerely, then added. “I had a brother killed in the war, too.”

“Oh, Peg, I didn’t know…I just thought it was your beau that died,” Angie said, concerned.

“Well, yes, but I had a brother, Michael, he was killed in France.”

“I’m sorry, so sorry honey.” She patted Peggy’s thigh and then gave it a squeeze. “Mine was killed at Anzio. His name is… _was_ Pat.”

“I know, it’s still hard to think of Michael in the past tense,” she said, as she put her hand over Angie’s.

“That was Pat’s sweatshirt you’re wearing,” Angie said, and smiled.

Peggy’s eyes went wide, “Oh, Angie, I shouldn’t…”

“No, it looks good on you, English, please don’t take it off,” Angie said sincerely and then thought, ‘Unless this night goes as planned, then please take it off.’ But then she thought that was selfish, especially because they were talking about their dead brothers and went quiet.

“What are you thinking?”

“Nothing much really,” Angie lied, she was also thinking of the hand that was over hers.

Peggy took another swig of the schnapps and looked at Angie, deciding something.

‘I know she has feelings for me,’ she thought, ‘and I know if I don’t do something about it, we’ll both die deprived.’

“Do something for me?” Peggy said, as she took Angie’s glass from her.

“What’s that?”

“Close your eyes,” Peggy said, and got up off the bed to put the glasses on the counter.

Angie looked skeptical but complied and Peggy picked her glass back up and took a good belt. ‘Cheers,’ she thought, and took another for good measure.

Bravery replenished, Peggy went back to the bed, kneeled in front of Angie, and placed her face close to hers, head on, then said, “Open them,” her heart was threatening to burst out of her chest. This was the moment that she had been waiting for since she had seen Angie in the L&L the first time. It was a longshot, but she had to know if Angie felt the same way and she could always say something stupid like she was just joking, but she hoped to hell she had been right about how Angie felt about her.

Peggy held her breath as Angie sat frozen, looking into Peggy’s eyes, trying to find the right answer. Or even the right question. Her heart beat harder as she realized the blue eyes that looked at her questioningly were so clear and bright, with flecks of brown and green. Peggy cocked her head to the side in a question and looked at Angie’s lips, slightly biting her own bottom lip in unconscious anticipation.

Angie’s arms flew around Peggy as she pulled her into a deep kiss that lasted almost a full minute, when air became a necessity, they both pulled back and looked hungrily at each other. 

Peggy went back in for another searing kiss and they both jostled for dominance. When they realized neither was backing down, they parted briefly.

“I’m stronger than you,” Peggy said, panting.

Angie laid back on the pillow acquiescing with a laugh, “I already told you once tonight, that you talk too much, English,” she said, with a devilish glint in her eyes. “So, stop flapping your gums and c’mere and kiss me.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Peggy said, obediently and leaned down to capture Angie’s lips in another mind-numbing kiss. Peggy’s brain threatened to schism as she felt Angie’s tongue at her lips. She knew what was coming next. As soon as she opened her mouth to let the tongue in there was a soft, hot, wetness that kept pulling her in for more. She felt throbbing in her core as Angie’s tongue snaked around her own and then sucked it into her mouth. The sensations were becoming almost too much for Peggy and she got the feeling her whole body might explode. To get some handle on the situation, she pulled back from the kiss.

“Angie…” she said, panting. “Oh…” she sighed out as she felt Angie’s hands move down her body.

“What honey?”

“Oh…” Was all Peggy could manage as she felt those hands massage her lower back and then cautiously dip a little lower. She reared back and arched her lower half against Angie to get more of the delicious friction to her core.

Angie sat up but still kept up the ministrations on Peggy’s back. “Tell me what you need, sweetheart…” she had the urge to push Peggy’s sweatshirt up and kiss her stomach, but thought she better get permission first. She decided to let Peggy ask for things she wanted, not wanting to blow the moment by scaring her off. She wasn’t sure what Peggy’s level of being with girls was, and proceeding with caution would be best, she felt.

“Touching…touching is good…”

“Touching?” Angie queried as her hands ventured lower on Peggy’s backside. “Like this?” Peggy breathed out in a gasp and then stiffened a little. Angie stopped and waited for more instructions.

“That…keep doing…that…” Peggy implored her and Angie resumed her massage. “Oh…” Peggy let out another approving gasp as the throbs she had been feeling grew stronger.

Angie took one hand away to push Peggy’s sweatshirt up, she could feel the hot flesh of her stomach and the urge to kiss it was getting too strong. She asked in a whisper, “Is kissing okay?” and leaned in to place a kiss on the flesh in front of her.

“Ohhhhh yeeeeeessssss,” was the reply.

When she licked and nibbled around Peggy’s belly button, the English woman grabbed onto Angie’s head to steady herself as the throbbing to her center grew ever stronger. She moaned deep and low in her throat as she felt Angie’s hands make their way around to the front of her body and start to move closer to her inner thighs. She was sure if Angie started to caress and massage her there that the tension that had been building up in her nether regions would bubble over and break.

Angie could feel that too and it was a heady and powerful sensation, to have this strong, beautiful woman literally putty in her hands was giving her quite a thrill all its own. She continued to lick the flesh in front of her as she pulled Peggy closer to her so that she could meld their lower bodies further into each other.

When Angie’s arm reached up and cupped Peggy’s breast, she felt the throbbing of the brunette’s center on her thigh and her own contracted in sympathy, she had to stop to gasp against Peggy’s torso.

“Oh, darling…” Peggy breathed out.

Just then there was a knock on the door.

‘Va’fan’cul…’ Angie thought. Hoping whoever it was would go away.

“Angie?” It was the new girl, Dottie. “Are you okay in there?”

Peggy and Angie both stiffened and held their breaths, clutching each other in desperation. Thankfully Angie remembered that she had locked the door after she came back from Peggy’s, especially as she heard Dottie try the knob.

“Uhhh, yeah, Dot,” Angie said, breathlessly. She tried to calm herself as best she could under the circumstances. She noted that Peggy was still breathing exceptionally hard and realized she had her breast in her hand. Slowly, she removed her hand from the warm flesh and was heartened to hear a sound of disappointment come from Peggy.

“Sounds like you’re sick or something…”

“Nope, not sick, just…getting in some calisthenics,” Angie lied.

Peggy thought, ‘Good girl.’ and squeezed Angie a little tighter in gratitude. Angie looked up at her and smiled.

Peggy leaned down for a kiss and almost groaned at the feel of Angie’s tongue snaking back against her own. The rhythm she immediately started was heating up her center again, despite the problem at the door.

“Calisthenics? Oh, that’s wonderful, we should start a group for that!”

“Yeah, sure, Dot,” Angie said, as she reluctantly pulled back from kissing Peggy’s warm, inviting mouth. She closed her eyes and willed Dottie to go away.

“Do you mind if I show you some pictures my Mom sent me? I just got them in the mail…”

Angie’s head hung in defeat as Peggy moved off of her, she almost wanted to cry. Almost, because Peggy leaned in and whispered, “You should go deal with that and then come back and ravish me…I’ll be in the loo, darling.”

“Is someone in there with you?”

‘Oh god, this strunze…’ Angie thought as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Uh, no…it’s just The Avenger on the radio,” she said, as she got up off the bed and watched Peggy go into the bathroom. She straightened her clothes and went to the door. Thankfully she caught her look in the mirror and quickly went to her wardrobe to fix her face, there were lipstick marks around her mouth and hers had been completely kissed off, it looked like she’d been punched in the mouth because her lips had gotten puffier from the bruising kisses she and Peggy had given each other. She shrugged, wiped her mouth as best she could, applied some lipstick, did a once around of the room, put the glasses, still half full of their schnapps, in the sink and went to open the door.

“Heya, Dot. Sorry, I was stretching a little.”

“Oh right, you have to keep the muscles from getting stiff!” Dottie said, as she quickly perused, the inside of Angie’s room. If Angie weren’t a Brooklyn girl, she probably wouldn’t have thought anything of that, but she wasn’t born yesterday and she knew what someone casing the joint looked like. She stepped further out into the hallway and closed her door.

“Sorry, it’s a bit messy in there, didn’t get a chance to tidy up before I started my exercises,” she said, folding her arms in front of her. She wished she had thrown on her robe.

“Oh, yeah gosh, I know…” Dottie said, over-understandingly and looked directly into her eyes. Angie wasn’t sure, but she thought this Iowa yahoo might be trying to smell her, as if she could tell that Peggy, or someone, had been with her.

“So, where are these pictures?” Angie said, with a smile, trying to look interested.

“Right! I’m so dumb sometimes,” Dottie said, as she took her pictures out of the envelope, not catching Angie’s eyeroll. “Do you mind if we go in your room? This hallway is cold…” she said, shivering a little. “Aren’t you cold?” she looked at Angie concerned, because she only had her short-sleeved nightgown on.

“Cold? Nope, no…never get cold.” Angie said, stifling a shiver.

“I think your goosebumps would tend to differ, young lady!” Dottie said, in that ‘aw shucks’ way.

“Just a little…tired, I guess.”

“Oh, sorry about that, Angie…well, here. Here’s the pictures,” she said, as she started telling her who was in them and where they were taken.

“Isn’t that lovely,” Angie said, trying to sound sincere as Dottie was showing her a picture of a goose from their pond that her mother had taken for her. Apparently, they came back every year to swim there on the way back up to Canada or something.

“This is Uncle Seevus, he’s got twenty boaters, all with a different color hat band on them…oh and this is his son, cousin Jepson, he’s raising a pig that we hope will win in the county fair this year…and this here is Aunt Adeline, she makes the best gooseberry jam you’ve ever tasted…”

Just then, the door to Peggy’s room opened, and Angie looked over surprised, Angie spotted the same look on Dottie’s face and quickly made hers neutral.

“Hiya, Peg! Sorry did we wake you?” Angie asked, with a quick wink.

“Just nodded off reading Tolstoy, as I am wont to do from time to time…Hi Dottie,”

“Hi, Peggy! Did you want to see the pictures my mom sent me?”

Peggy came out into the hallway to see them, Angie had noticed she had put her housecoat on, the one that looked like she had a nightgown on underneath, but Angie could still see the sweatshirt that she had given her to wear peaking out from the neck.

“Oh, wow, I’ve never seen corn that big…” Peggy said, and Angie had to stifle a laugh.

“We have bigger, last year the harvest wasn’t so good, some of our croppers came down with the pox; but look at the hay bales!”

Peggy’s eyes widened, and Angie had to put her hand in front of her mouth to stop the laugh that was dying to get out. The look on her face was priceless.

When the pictures were all seen and Dottie was seemingly done gushing, Peggy asked if Angie was able to get the stain out of her jacket. Angie looked at her puzzled and then the penny dropped, “Oh, yes, I was. The shirt too, you have to be more careful when you’re eating pea soup, Peg!”

Dottie looked concerned, “Pea soup can stain forever…”

Angie went back into her room and came out with Peggy’s shirt and jacket that she had hung up in her bathroom.

“Here you go, ma’am,” she smiled at Peggy as she brought it from around her shoulder. “Good as new,” and then pursed her lips in a kiss. Peggy had to keep her face from giving anything away, but her eyes were drawn to those lips, and she licked out slightly at her own.

Angie closed her eyes and then opened them wide, as if to clear her head of the memories that had started to pop into it.

“Well, good night, ladies. I was at a particular racy part of the story!”

“Anna Karenina?” Angie asked.

“No, The Death of Ivan Ilyich.”

Angie laughed, and Peggy could see Dottie’s eyes narrow, but then a dumb open mouthed grin appeared on her face.

“I don’t get it…”

“Just a bit of a lark, Dottie, nothing to fret over,” Peggy said.

“Night, Peg,” Angie said, a little sadly.

“Night Peggy!” Dottie added, cheerily.

“Good night, ladies.”

“Well, thanks for the highlight of my night, Dottie, I really owe you one,” Angie said, lying through her teeth.

“No problem, Angie, anytime!”

Angie went back to her room and sighed when the door was closed. She looked at the bed which was still in disarray and didn’t know how she was going to get to sleep. When she had told Dottie she was tired, that was a lie, she was still feeling the affects of the blood pumping through her veins from the kissing and groping session with Peggy, so to say she was wired, would be an understatement.

She went over to her sink and took the glasses out of it, took a slug of the one she assumed was hers and just as she was going to pour Peggy’s in the sink, she heard the window open.

“Don’t you dare,” Peggy whispered, deftly coming into the room and closing the window. She also went over to the radio and turned it on, tuning it in to a music program. She put a finger to Angie’s lips before she could say anything and put the glass she was holding on the counter, then thought better of it and took a long sip.

“Mmmm, that _is_ good,” she said, with a hungry look at Angie’s lips. “Too good to give up…I won’t do it.”

Angie put her hands on Peggy’s shoulders and walked her over to the wall that separated her room with Peggy’s. She looked deeply into her eyes. The brightly colored eyes held a question and she waited for the answer as she caressed the taller woman’s shoulders.

Peggy took Angie’s hands and guided them down further on her chest, Angie got the meaning and rubbed her breasts through the sweatshirt.

“Oh, Angie…”

“We’ve gotta be quiet, English, can you be quiet for me? Hayseed’ll get an earful if you’re not.” Peggy looked deeply into her eyes and nodded a yes. “Good, first comes the ravishing, then we’ll talk about why you risked breaking your neck to sneak in through the window,” she smirked and leaned in for a kiss.

Peggy chuckled and then gasped as she felt Angie apply more pressure to her breasts, when she felt her thumbs rub over her nipples the throbbing she had felt earlier returned and she couldn’t hold in a gasp.

“Oh…”

“Oh, Madonna mia! You’re gonna get us pinched,” Angie mock scolded. “You don’t want us to get pinched, do ya, English?”

Peggy shook her head no and tried to get Angie to apply more pressure to her nipples. Before she had come back over to her apartment she boldly removed her bra and she was thankful of that, since there was less clothing covering her most sensitive parts, the friction Angie was causing was delicious, but she found she still needed more.

“No?” Angie playfully whispered the question. “The beautiful Peggy Carter doesn’t want to get pinched?” She punctuated that last question by pinching an engorged nipple between the thumb and forefinger of each hand.

Peggy gasped louder and Angie removed her hands completely.

“Angie…no…I’m sorry…”

Angie reached over to the radio and turned it up.

“You gotta be good and listen to me, English. If you do, you’ll get a reward, if you don’t you get bupkiss, capisce?”

“Io capisco,” Peggy answered in Italian, desire dripping from her mouth.

Angie smirked impressed; she’d store that knowledge for later. Right now, she had more pressing things to attend to.

She pulled Peggy away from the wall and made her to sit on the chair in the corner.

She stood and regarded Peggy, sitting in rapt anticipation, like she was looking at a statue in a museum, or figuring out where to put a piece of furniture.

“Hmmm…nope, not there,” she said, walking quickly up to Peggy and pulling her out of the chair.

Peggy was impressed with the strength Angie displayed; she wouldn’t have thought her capable of handling her weight like she did. Not that she was so heavy, per se, but that Angie looked so slight, especially in the arm department.

Angie had her stand near the windows as she pulled her mattress from the daybed and situated it on the floor, pushing it more near the other wall. The one that wouldn’t have anyone able to hear what was going on next to them.

Peggy smiled her approval, she couldn’t be trusted to keep quiet, especially if what she was anticipating happening, happened.

When all was situated to Angie’s liking, she went over to Peggy, taking her hands in hers and led her over to the mattress, instructing her to lay down. She did so, obediently and waited for further instruction. She couldn’t believe she was being so docile, but it gave her a great thrill, so she went with it.

Angie lay by Peggy’s side, looked sincerely into her eyes and said, “You’re so beautiful, my heart feels like it’s going to explode. Is this real?”

Peggy wasn’t expecting Angie to break from her tough act but her own heart welcomed the sincerity of the words and feeling.

“It’s real darling and it’s you who are the beautiful one…” she whispered back as she smoothed a strand of hair behind Angie’s ear. Angie smiled and then leaned in for a kiss that made Peggy light-headed.

“Oooh,” she breathed out and briefly thought Angie might have mistakenly put on Peggy’s knockout lipstick. She really should get rid of that, just in case, but it _was_ handy.

When Peggy moaned out, Angie pulled back and narrowed her eyes at her, “I told you English, if you can’t keep quiet, you can’t get a reward.”

“Like…like what?” Peggy said, her breathing increasing now that Angie was taking that tone with her again and she didn’t realize she had broken the rules so quickly.

“Ah, ah, ah…tsk, I thought you were smarter than that…you can’t say anything and no loud sounds, understood?”

“I…” Peggy started to say she understood and then stopped, forgetting the rules. Again. Her senses were so heightened, she couldn’t think straight. ‘Damn!’ she thought, ‘the SSR could recruit her to get people to talk.’ Then banished that thought from her mind.

“Hang on,” Angie took pity on her. “How about you tell me what you want for your reward?”

Peggy bit her bottom lip as she thought, “Mmmm, my…” she trailed off as she suddenly became shy. She never really had to describe out loud what she wanted. In fact, there weren’t many times she had been in this position at all and when she had, the person she was with, usually just did what they wanted to do. Since Steve died, there hadn’t been anyone and before him there had only been Gen and Fred; he who was too much of a gentleman to touch Peggy anywhere south of her navel, never mind go all the way. Before that there was some fumblings with boys here or there, but never what her imaginings had been after she read some of the racier novels of the times.

Angie could see the worry in Peggy’s eyes and mercifully added that into her game, “I think I know what you’re trying to say, but on second thought,” she said, changing her mind. “I told you to be quiet, so I’m not going to go back there just yet…”

Peggy pouted.

“That’s not gonna help your case,” Angie said, with a shake of her head. In fact, it was ramping her libido up and making it difficult for her not to just rip off Peggy’s clothes and give her whatever she asked for. “I think I know what you like…” she said, as she pushed Peggy’s shirt up off of her stomach. Angie had to admire it, there was definition, but just the right amount of cushion, something that got her really hot. She leaned in and could hear Peggy breath deeply, anticipating the sensations she undoubtedly was about to feel. Angie thought briefly about pulling back up and making Peggy beg, but she wasn’t that heartless. She got as much pleasure from giving it, as she did from receiving it, maybe even more so.

It was what made Sarah keep coming back to her door at night after curfew.

As Angie touched her tongue to the shivering flesh, Peggy would have most certainly cried out, but she covered her mouth with both hands and arched her back. Angie circled her belly button and again nibbled the flesh around it, Peggy started to squirm from side to side and Angie used the flat of her tongue to lick upwards, in the middle of her stomach, up her torso, to just underneath her breasts, she was a little surprised to find that Peggy wasn’t wearing a bra, but she was happy about that. This way she didn’t have to fumble with anything and she could keep on making Peggy squirm and squeal like she was now.

Peggy didn’t know quite what to do, she wanted to put her hands in Angie’s hair, to hold her in place, especially when she hit a really good spot, but then she couldn’t keep her mouth shut like she was doing now. She didn’t want to make a sound, just in case Angie kept her word and pulled back. When Angie licked and nibbled at the bottom of her breast, she shot up and bumped the poor woman off of her.

“Oh, honey, are you okay?” Angie, said concerned. “Did I nip you too hard?”

Peggy was breathing hard and trying to calm herself, she also didn’t want to break the rules.

“Peg?” she questioned, then chuckled, as she remembered her rule. “You can speak.”

“Oh, Angie…” she whispered, reverently. “It’s…electric…each time you touch me…especially on…”

“It’s pretty nice, huh?” Angie said, wiggling her eyebrows.

“It’s…I don’t know quite how to put it…”

“Are you gonna be okay if I continue? I don’t want to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

“I’d think I would die if you don’t continue…and I can’t imagine that I wouldn’t be okay with anything you were doing.” 

“Okay, angel,” Angie said, lovingly. “Lay back…”

Peggy complied and played that last endearment back in her head. This time she kept herself from rearing up and bumping Angie off as she felt the warm wetness descend on her skin. Angie pulled the sweatshirt over breasts, causing Peggy to giggle, but was stopped cold in her tracks when she felt Angie trace a path through the middle of her chest.

“Ohhhh,” she gasped and bit her knuckle to stop any further noise. She tried to concentrate on the music that was playing.

She was in luck; it was a song she liked.

_I’m in the mood for love…_

The tongue was making its way up her torso and she tried to grasp the next lyric in her mind.

_Simply because you’re near me…_

This was true, she was in the mood for love and the person nearest to her drove her wild.

_Funny but when you’re near me…_

There were many times recently when Angie would just be doing something like picking lint off of Peggy’s shoulder,

_I’m in the mood for love…_

And she would stutter and start to go weak in the knees.

_Heaven is in your eyes…_

Those piercing blue eyes, that showed so much emotion in just one look. Her breath hitched at the thought of them.

_Bright at the stars we’re under…_

She was losing her grip on her focus as her center started throbbing again. Thinking of Angie’s eyes were ramping her libido to heights she didn’t realize were possible.

_Oh, is it any wonder…_

‘Not to me,’ Peggy thought as something in her started to crest and then she felt another level of bliss.

_That I’m in the mood for love…_

The sweatshirt was being pulled up over her breasts and pulled off of her completely.

_Why stop to think of whether…_

Angie smiled at her and when it stretched on, Peggy started to think she was being toyed with.

_This little dream might fade…_

Until she realized that Angie was also descending back down towards her chest, to her nipple, in fact and caught the hardened piece of flesh in her moist, hot mouth.

_We’ve put our hearts together…_

She swirled her tongue around it and Peggy immediately put her hands in Angie’s hair and pulled her closer to her, holding her there.

Angie settled her knee between Peggy’s thighs and the brunette took purchase on it, trying to get more friction to her core.

_Now we are one…_

When Angie bit down on Peggy’s nipple, whatever was holding back the tension broke and she bucked on the knee wildly as the throbbing became stronger and stronger.

_I’m not afraid…_

Angie reached up and put a finger to Peggy’s lips, she greedily sucked it into her mouth and licked around it, just like she felt Angie doing to her nipple.

_If there’s a cloud up above…_

She felt Angie pull back a little and was immediately worried that she might have done something wrong.

_If it should rain we’ll let it…_

Her center was still giving out hard, almost painful throbs and her brain was flooded with the most delicious pleasure.

_But for tonight we’ll forget it…_

Angie was whispering to her and she almost didn’t hear it, because the blood rushing back to her to her brain was causing her ears to block.

_‘Cause I’m in the mood for love…_

“I love you, cara mia,” Angie whispered in her ear and she felt another strong contraction as fingers smoothed over her center and touched something she hadn’t even touched on her own in a while.

_I’m in the mood for love…_

“Ohhhhh,” Peggy sighed out, and Angie captured her mouth in a wet and hungry kiss. She moaned low in her throat when she felt a strong contraction in her womanhood as Angie continued to stroke her through her pants. Their tongues happily plunged each other’s mouths and Angie sucked Peggy’s into hers and gave Peggy another strong contraction to her center. “Ohhhhh, Angie.” She said as she pulled back a little to bask in the glorious sensations she was feeling because of this goddess. She looked deeply into the eyes that stole her heart and licked out at her bottom lip. Angie moved back in to capture her lips in another steamy kiss, as she slowed her ministrations to her outer lips through thin cloth. Finally, she stopped all together and removed herself from between her thighs and Peggy felt a little sad that she was going.

Angie kept her hand on her center though, and that gave her a little comfort.

“I should have kept my word, English,” Angie said, with a mischievous look in her eyes.

Peggy was still coming down off of her high and was a little out of breath, “What, darling?”

“I shouldn’t have given you any rewards…” she laughed, as Peggy looked into her eyes questioningly. “You were a bit loud, especially towards the end.”

“I-I was?” Peggy was puzzled at that, she didn’t think she had been.

“Oh, yeah, babe, I had to stick my finger in your mouth so you wouldn’t wake up the whole floor, and possibly the ones above and below.”

Peggy put her hand over her eyes, “Oh, dear…” she said, and then gasped as she felt Angie’s hand smooth over the top of her breast.

Angie shook her head and let out a laugh, “I think maybe we’ll have to rent a trailer next time and park it out in the wilderness.”

“You wouldn’t get any complaints from me…” Peggy said, as she closed her eyes and concentrated on the hand that was drawing circles over her breast.

Angie looked at Peggy with a question in her mind, but she didn’t want to pry. Instead she asked, “You gonna poop out on me?”

“Hmmm, dear?” Peggy said, a little sleepy.

“I guess that answers it,” she said, with a laugh and then settled herself so that she was cuddled up next to Peggy with one leg over hers and her head on her chest. She listened to the strong, steady heartbeat.

A moment or so later Peggy broke the silence and said, “That was…”

“I know,” Angie answered. She did know.

“I’ve…never…” Angie held her breath as Peggy found the right words to tell her what she was trying to say. “I mean, I thought I had, but that…that was… _something_ …”

Angie decided to help her out, “Are you trying to say that your first time with a woman was more than what you thought it would be?”

Peggy opened her eyes and looked down at Angie, “I’m saying that was my first time for whatever that you just made my body do…I thought I had… _you know_ before.”

“Oh wow, Peg…I had no idea…” Angie said, looking up into hooded brown eyes. “I shouldn’t have…”

“Oh yes, you bloody well _should_ have,” Peggy said, firmly, not wanting Angie to take anything back. She was hoping for another session or two tonight as a matter of fact. “I’m hoping I bounce back in a moment and we can…”

“Not tonight, honey,” Angie said, shaking her head.

“You’re joking…”

“No, I’m serious. Well, we can kiss and you can touch me, but you’re all done for the night.”

“W-why exactly…”

“Because if I don’t stop, then you’ll wake up not being able to walk right, especially if that was your first…ya know.”

Peggy’s eyes narrowed, “Can I lie and say it wasn’t my first…how about I lied to you when I said that?”

“I can tell when you’re lying, you’re doing it right now.”

“How?”

“Your lips are moving,” Angie smirked.

Peggy laughed and swatted at Angie’s shoulder, then sighed and leaned down for an appreciative kiss.

“I was really that loud?” she asked, as their kiss ended.

“Yeah, but I think I caught you in time before you really went all ‘Jeanette MacDonald’ on me.”

“Well, it _is_ your fault you know…” Peggy said, a little pretend miffed.

“Oh, don’t I know it!” Angie said and rolled over slightly on top of Peggy who laughed and then stopped as Angie’s hands cupped her bare breasts, she didn’t even realize she hadn’t put her top back on. Peggy shivered from Angie’s touch and Angie got a little worried.

“Too cold for you?”

“No, just fine, dear…your hands are…”

Angie narrowed her eyes, “Greedy,” she said, with another proud smirk. She moved off of Peggy’s body, back to where she had been and pulled Peggy so she was slightly on her side. She took the nipple, that she hadn’t sucked Peggy to orgasm with earlier, into her mouth, and Peggy eagerly pushed closer to her. Another gasp was heard from above her head and she snaked her hand up to Peggy’s mouth and smiled around the nipple as Peggy gratefully sucked another finger into it.

She liked cuddling that way, especially because she had easy access to such succulent nipples and pliant breasts. Peggy, God love her, had an ample chest and she was over the moon that they were so sensitive, helping Angie to bring Peggy up quickly on her way to a second stronger orgasm.

She knew that it was bad because she was being truthful that Peggy would be feeling sore in the morning, but the way Peggy had pouted after she had said that there would be no more for the night made her rethink that.

Well that and the fact that Peggy practically had pushed the nipple right into her mouth, she couldn’t help that her hand snaked down and rubbed over her moist vulva, this time from inside the pants, that eventually ended up somewhere on the floor past the foot of the bed.

Peggy’s center was giving off so many pulses, each stronger than the last, that Angie knew she wasn’t going to last much longer, so she backed off slightly, earning a frustrated sigh from up above. She knew that Peggy would appreciate it more if she didn’t just bring her off quickly, so she didn’t feel too bad about it. She started to nibble at the stiff peak and swirl her tongue around it. She heard the groans get stronger, and Peggy was trying to bear down on the fingers that she kept just out of reach. She licked the nipple with a broad flat part of her tongue and then bit down as she finally connected her fingers to Peggy’s lips below, sliding through the ever-slicker flesh and pressed firmly on the bundle of nerves at the center. She worked her fingers back and forth over it, finally giving Peggy the firm and steady pressure she was looking for, while simultaneously sucking hard at her nipple. Peggy’s lower half bucked up into Angie’s hand and then the dam broke. She arched her back and then slammed her legs one at a time down into the mattress, bucking back up into Angie’s hand and then repeated the motions over again. Angie stayed where she was, not being thrown off or missing an opportunity to eke out more pleasure from her body. Like she was tuning a fine instrument and playing it to it’s fullest.

Peggy’s body gave off one last big convulsion and she went rigid, aware that Angie was staying with her, holding her close, and letting her get what she needed from the fingers she kept between her legs.

Finally, there was nothing left to give, and it started to become painful, but before she was even able to get that out, Angie pulled her fingers away and smoothed them lightly over her fleshy outer lips, and then through the tuft of hair between her legs. She gave one last squeeze to her mound and then brought the hand to her leg and squeezed and smoothed the flesh there.

As they lay, basking in the afterglow Peggy started to giggle, it brought a smile to Angie’s lips, she knew Peggy was going through that heady euphoric feeling when she truly had an explosive orgasm.

The English woman finally was able to control the giggles and sighed out, pulling Angie closer. She reluctantly let go of the nipple and looked up at Peggy.

“You lied,” Peggy managed to say with an extremely dry mouth.

“I couldn’t help it,” Angie said, not trying to deny it.

“I’m glad of that,” Peggy said, smiling and peaking at her through one eye.

“You won’t be in the morning, English. We’ve got to come up with a story for you.”

“Story?” Peggy asked, as she tried not to give in to the pull of sleep.

“As to why you’re walking funny.”

“I’ll just say I reinjured my ankle, besides, I really don’t know why you’re making a big deal of it. I’m sure it’ll probably be nothing.”

“Alright, if you say so, sweetie,” Angie said, patronizingly as she watched Peggy struggle and lose her battle against sleep.

She was studying the brunette closely, amazed at what had just happened, and that it was only the second night since Peggy moved in. She hadn’t planned on anything near what they just did until possibly the second or third week, and that would have been giving really generous odds.

Just then she was startled out of her thoughts as the woman she thought was busy slumbering happily said, “No…”

“What happened, did I hurt you?” She thought maybe she had touched that nasty cut she had seen on her leg, that looked like someone other than a doctor stitched her up. She’d ask about that some other time.

“No dearest, not anything you did. But…it’s what I didn’t do, I’ve been one of those…” She opened her eyes and tried to will Angie to give her the answer.

Angie looked back at her blankly.

“You know…the ones who just lay there taking all the pleasure…pillow…ladies?”

Angie chuckled, “Nah, it’s pillow _queens_ and no, you’re not that. Well, at least you won’t be when you give little,” she winked. “But seriously, you did plenty for me. Mine might not have been as earth shattering as the ones you popped out, but I got a lot of pleasure out of what I did to you.”

“Really?”

Angie nodded her head and said sincerely, “Really.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes,” she said, and leaned in to capture Peggy’s lips in yet another kiss. They stopped counting how many, long ago.

After the kiss ended, Peggy looked out of one eye and said, “I don’t want to poop out, but I can feel the pull of sleep and _this_ time I don’t think I’m going to be able to fight it off, but I didn’t get to touch you and that makes me sad.”

“We’ve got all the time in the world, English.”

Peggy tried not to be worried by that statement, but it did make her a little superstitious, with her luck things said like that usually led to heartbreak. She would have to find some salt and throw it over her shoulder, or whatever one did to exercise demons, as soon as she was able to make her brain work again.

Angie brought the blanket over them and watched as Peggy’s chest rose and fell steadily. Her own eyelids felt heavy and she snuggled in closer to this absolute goddess of a woman that was in her bed.

“Before I forget,” Peggy’s groggy voice startled her a little. “I love you too, _angel_ …”

A huge smile broke out on Angie’s face as she looked up and saw a slight one on Peggy’s. She didn’t think Peggy had really heard that, and suddenly she was glad she had said it, and got it back in return.

Angie gratefully kissed the sleepy woman in her arms and then settled back down to let sleep engulf her.

She would have to play the numbers tomorrow; her luck was unbelievable lately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song credits: "I'm In The Mood For Love" Music and Lyrics by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields. Published in 1935 by Robbins Music. © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC


	6. Follow My Lead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The "heat" of April hasn’t let up…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedication: As we go through this global crisis together, so shall we come out of it stronger. Together. I’m really sorry that this one took so long to finish and post. Work was crazy and I could only calm my thoughts to write about two sentences at a time. Hopefully, that goes smoother this week. 😊 I hope you and yours are doing well and you are all listening to the advice of scientists who say to: STAY THE F HOME! Forza!

Peggy woke up with a start as an extremely loud truck horn sounded outside, and was puzzled for a few moments, as to where she was. The warm body that was now stretching deliciously into her side made her realize, pretty quickly, where she was and who was with her and she folded her arms over the warm flesh, tightening her hold on Angie.

“What was that?” came the sleepy voice. “Is it time to get up?”

“No, darling, that was a lorry horn. It’s still early; go back to sleep,” she urged.

“Hmmm…what if I don’t wanna…” Angie said, and kissed the side of the breast that was closest to her.

Peggy let out a gasp, “Oh you wicked thing…but…you said…”

Angie chuckled and said between kisses to her warm flesh, “I’m a…scamp…and a…ne’er do well.”

Peggy laughed, “Oh, you did exceptionally well, last night my dear…”

“Wait’ll…you see…what I can do…in the morning…”

Peggy’s stomach got that delicious feeling again, but she knew that if she didn’t get sleep, she wouldn’t be able to function later in the day and she had to always keep on her toes. Especially, with what was still going on with Howard; Captain Dooley was telling them to find anything on him, and Sousa was sniffing around trying to find the blonde woman from Spider Raymond’s club, which was actually her in a wig, so she would have to do her best be sharp and quick minded around the office. Things were popping up about Howard faster than Peggy could debunk them and if she wasn’t careful, she would still be tried for treason right alongside of him.

“Let’s just sleep a little more, dearest, you sound so utterly knackered,” Peggy said, truthfully. Angie’s voice sounded extremely tired.

“Nooooo,” she groaned, “I don’t wanna…” she said, petulantly. Peggy laughed and pulled Angie to her so that she could look into her eyes. “Oh, manhandling me now?” Angie asked, with mock indignation.

Peggy’s eyes went wide as she realized that Angie’s warm flesh was touching hers. _Without_ any cloth in between them. The wonderfully plump, warm flesh of Angie’s chest was on her own. Angie must have taken off her nightgown after Peggy had fallen asleep. She suddenly calculated how much sleep she actually really needed.

Jarvis had gotten her a message to meet him at the train yard at five am, this was probably two, she surmised, she felt lost without her watch. She’d have to that replaced as soon as she could, since the one given to her by her Nana was the only one she had, and she had to throw it away at Roxxon headquarters a few days ago. She wished she hadn’t thought of that at this particular moment in time and blinked in an effort to try to shake her Nana’s face from her mind before coming to the realization that some time for love making, was able to be afforded. She guessed there were at least forty-five minutes for her and Angie to get up to something delicious and that would leave her with about an hour and fifteen for sleep. She was young, she reasoned, and sleep _was_ only for the babies and sick. It would be perfect.

“It seems you’ve lost your dressing gown, Lady Godiva,” Peggy said, mischievously.

Angie looked down animatedly and the mock surprise on her face had Peggy giggling again, “Why, Peeping Tom, however, will I live down the shame?” she winked at Peggy who again remarked quietly Angie’s knowledge of English history. Angie was looking down at her chest again. “Would you look at those…how did that happen?”

“I don’t really know, I was knocked out, apparently.”

“Must have been someone who really knew what they were doing,” Angie quirked her eyebrow in a smugly knowing look.

“They did, they _really_ did,” Peggy couldn’t deny it and nodded her head.

Angie smiled and leaned in for a kiss, this time it was she who gasped into Peggy’s mouth as she felt a hand cup her breast and a thumb rub over her turgid nipple.

“Ohhh, Miss Carter, I thought you wanted to sleep,” Angie said, as the kiss broke.

“Sleep is for babies and the sick, didn’t you know?” Peggy asked, as she rolled the warm, weighty flesh in her hand and started to feel the heady rush of giving someone else pleasure as Angie moaned her appreciation for the ministrations.

“Now, no loud sounds or you don’t get your reward…” Peggy sing-songed, incredibly pleased with herself.

“Mala femmina…” Angie groaned out.

“Am I as bad as all that?” Peggy asked, as innocently as a cat stalking its prey would have. She elicited a groan out of Angie with a pinch to the taught flesh under her fingers. Another low groan had a smile spreading onto her lips and then she was worried that Angie would wake up the neighbors, so she captured her lips in a kiss in an attempt to silence her.

Peggy was getting bolder by the moment, it was true she had never done this to anyone, but she was a quick learner, and she knew what she had liked. She sent her hands down smoothing over Angie’s bare flesh, feeling all of it in an attempt to memorize. Not only memorizing the feel but the sounds that Angie made as she traced over places that were more sensitive than others. Finally, she was down to her posterior and she held the flesh there in both hands, squeezing to feel, but also to please. As she squeezed harder, she was getting another rush of pleasure when Angie’s moans grew louder.

“Oh, Englishhhhh…” Angie gasped, as she ended their kiss.

“Angie…” Peggy whispered back. “What do you need, dearest? I’ll…try…” She was hoping to do to Angie what she had done to her, but while she was determined to please, she suddenly felt insecure that she _could_ please her, since she wasn’t as skilled as Angie obviously was.

Hearing the hesitation in her voice, Angie pulled one of Peggy’s hands off of her backside and kissed it, then brought it down to right between her legs. She stopped there, not wanting to take over, just to show Peggy where she needed her most right now. If she wasn’t ready to do that, she wouldn’t push it, but she sure hoped she was ready for it.

Peggy got the hint and took over. She lightly stroked the hair that she felt between Angie’s legs and smiled when she heard a short giggle. ‘It must have tickled,’ she thought, but then, as she pressed forward more solidly, she heard a gasp and felt the warm wetness on her fingers. Most of the tentativeness melted away and then it was all she could do to keep her libido in check. She wanted to do this for Angie, so she concentrated hard on the sounds coming from her, to let her know she was doing it right. She let the wetness guide her further and when she heard a loud gasp, after parting slick flesh, she felt emboldened to push harder. Another appreciative moan from Angie and a whispered, “Yesssss,” made her heart do a flip and she couldn’t contain a smile. By now, the tentativeness was completely gone as she parted more of the moist, warm flesh she felt under her fingers and found what she was looking for. That magic button that Angie had stroked so expertly for her earlier that night.

“Yessssss…” Angie hissed again, she was trying to contain her excitement, she didn’t want to bubble over too soon, but it was hard. This beautiful woman that she had thought about almost constantly for the last month, was now in her bed, about to bring her to what she knew would be an earth-shattering orgasm. Just thinking about it had her center giving out pleasurable pulses and now with Peggy’s fingers, sliding over her pleasure center, she knew she wouldn’t last long, she just hoped that she wouldn’t wake up the block, let alone her floor. “Oh…,” she gasped, as Peggy put her index and middle finger directly on her clitoris and started up a firm and steady rhythm. “Yes…there…oh…yesssssss…yessssss…mia regina…”

Peggy smiled at that, she never really considered herself a Queen, more of a soldier, but it made her happy that Angie was wholeheartedly approving of her ministrations and she understood the feeling of being so utterly devoted to someone that was responsible for that pleasure. She was now more determined than ever to make Angie feel what she had felt last night and hopefully more. She pressed harder onto the bundle of nerves under her fingers as she stroked it and her smile deepened when she heard the moan it elicited, which was in turn fueling her boldness and she stroked faster. She tilted her head back slightly to quickly study Angie’s face in the soft glow of the ambient light the window was affording. Peggy memorized the angles of her jaw and nose and the way her eyebrow quirked and then furrowed, with the feelings that were currently being driven by Peggy’s hand and fingers. Again, Peggy remarked about how powerful the feeling was to be responsible for someone else’s pleasure, especially making this smart and beautiful woman lose almost all of her senses and just gasp and moan in pleasure. She placed a kiss on Angie’s forehead as she squeezed her closer to her. When her finger dipped lower towards the source of the moisture that was coming from Angie, the moan that was heard almost scared her, but she realized what had happened. Her middle finger dipped lower and touched the opening of Angie’s womanhood. Peggy was curious but worried that she might hurt Angie, so she tentatively dipped her finger lower and Angie gasped into her ear, “Oh Jesus…yesssssss…please…I mean…you don’t…have to…if…” Her words were cut off by Peggy switching her thumb to the bundle of nerves that was ever hardening and then positioned her fingers at Angie’s opening. She again felt a little nervous and pulled back to look at Angie whose eyes were tightly shut, waiting and hoping for what was to come next.

“Dearest…” Peggy said, almost questioningly and Angie opened her eyes.

“Inside?” Angie asked, not wanting to scare Peggy, but thinking she might cry if it didn’t happen.

Peggy saw the look the question caused in Angie’s eyes and her heart felt full, she knew then that she would never deny this woman anything she asked. Her hand almost involuntarily moved forward and she felt the most curious sensation on her fingers. It was tight yet incredibly giving, warm and slick, with intricate folds that grasped at her fingers. Angie gasped louder with each movement. When she let out an incredibly loud moan, Peggy remembered that they were in the Griffith and she moved forward to capture her lips in a seering kiss, moving her hand back and forth in earnest; being careful not to scratch with her nails, that she suddenly wished she had cut back. The folds of Angie’s center were quivering on Peggy’s fingers and giving her more of an intense thrill that she didn’t know was possible.

Angie took purchase on Peggy’s shoulders and Peggy realized what she was trying to do and steadied her hand, as Angie’s hips started a rhythm that she obviously needed. Peggy pulled out of the kiss and whispered that she had to be quiet and then lowered her head to take a nipple into her mouth, remembering the absolute pleasure that she got from having this done to her earlier that night. Peggy concentrated on keeping her hand where it was and making sure her thumb bumped Angie’s hard clitoris, as she bit down lightly on her nipple, she then sucked and intermittently nipped and swirled her tongue. With her other arm, she tightened her grip on Angie, as the younger woman increased her strokes on Peggy’s hand. The wetness increased, and Peggy marveled at the grip Angie’s sex had on her fingers. She knew Angie was close, her grunts grew in frequency and volume, and when she felt two sharp contractions on her fingers, she bit down on Angie’s nipple and that was it, the damn broke and Angie stifled a moan just barely and bucked into Peggy’s hand with abandon. Peggy kept up the pressure to Angie’s nipple and tried to keep her thumb on Angie’s clitoris, but was surprised to find it had disappeared. The strong contractions around her hand, to her delight, were increased when she lightly bit on Angie’s nipple again and Angie cried out but silenced herself quickly again with a hand in her mouth. Her wetness seemed to gush and Peggy was marveled again, there were so many things about this woman and her body that she was learning about, and that again made her heart feel full to bursting. She hadn’t been lying when she returned Angie’s declaration of love, she did truly love this woman and couldn’t wait to learn more about her. About her family, about her friends, and yes, about her body and how she could pleasure her even more.

As Angie’s contractions diminished, Peggy let go of her nipple and placed a kiss on it. She made her way up Angie’s torso placing small, reverent kisses on the flesh as Angie’s breathing also slowed. When she made it back up to her face, she waited to see if she would open her eyes and when she didn’t, she kissed her nose. It elicited the response she wanted and Angie smiled sheepishly at her, a little worried that Peggy would be weirded out by what just happened, but eternally grateful for the monster orgasm she just had.

“Are you okay?” Angie asked, her eyes still showing the euphoria she felt.

“I’m wonderfully fine. How are you?”

Angie laughed and then gasped again as Peggy moved her hand a little. Peggy’s eyes grew wide.

“Did I hurt you?”

“Oh no, babe, not at all…it’s just giving me a little….aftershocks.”

Peggy felt the small contractions and smiled. She wanted to really be naughty and try to bring Angie to an even bigger climax, but she knew if they started that, she’d never be able to meet Jarvis, and she’d be late for work, and she needed to make sure she was there for anything that she could head off in the Howard Stark department. She was getting increasingly mad about that fact.

“Is it okay to…”

“Stay forever? Yes,” Angie smiled.

Peggy laughed, “Oh, don’t tempt me…I don’t want to leave your…person too quickly, lest I hurt anything.”

“It’s okay, you can…leave…if you must…” Angie did a perfect imitation of Peggy’s accent.

“Now that’s weird, if I close my eyes I probably could pretend-”

“Oh, you _are_ scandalous, Miss Carter.”

Peggy leaned in for a kiss, “And _you_ are _wonderful_ , Miss Martinelli.” She removed her hand and immediately felt the rush of cool air. Angie leaned in for another kiss and their tongues happily danced around one another, each trying to hold the other ever closer. When the kiss broke, they had to catch their breath.

Peggy lay back more on the bed and pulled Angie down with her, settling her on her chest. Angie looked up at her and smiled, just looking.

“What, dearest?” Peggy asked, sensing there was a question or a statement about to happen.

“I just…I can’t believe…” Angie struggled to put the words together.

“I know, you can’t believe the breath on me…ugh…” Peggy kidded. She cupped her hand in front of her mouth and gave a mock sniff. “Ack!”

Angie laughed but gave a playful slap to Peggy’s thigh, and was puzzled when she heard her breathe in sharply; then she remembered the stitch work on her thigh that she saw last night.

“Oh, honey! I’m sorry, did I hit your cut?”

“Not to worry, just a little scratch, no bother,” Peggy dismissed it as nothing but in actual fact, it did smart quite bit.

“Does it sting or burn?” Nurse Martinelli mode was activated now. She was worried infection possibly was present in the wound.

“Not on its own, no.” Peggy grinned at Angie’s quirked eyebrow, then explained, “Only when you slap it.”

Angie pouted; she was contrite.

“No, no pouts, I’m impervious to them…”

Angie pouted even more and laughed as she saw Peggy falter.

“You’re such a sap, English,” she kidded, then felt a little bad like she would have hurt her feelings. “But a wonderfully, beautiful sap, I might add.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere, _scamp_ ,” Peggy said, with a sly grin.

“And ne’er do well?” Angie inquired.

“That too…” Peggy agreed.

They kissed and held each other for a good while before Angie pulled back and got off the bed.

“Forget something?” Peggy said to her back, as she disappeared into the bathroom, washed her hands and then came back with a tube in her hand.

“I wanted to put this on your cut,” Angie said, and then pulled the lamp down to the floor, turning it on.

Peggy turned her head quickly away, “Darling!” she exclaimed, while shielding her eyes with her hand to block out the light and tried to twist away, but Angie held her lower half still and held the light closer to it so she could get a good look at the wound. It was angry looking but not any worse than she’d had as a kid, when she would cut her leg climbing the tree outside their tenement or scrape her knee from a fall.

“It’s not hot to the touch,” she said, as she lightly ran her fingers over the wound. “You’re a pretty good healer.”

Peggy studied Angie’s face through her hand still blocking out most of the offending light, she was deep in thought, brow furrowed, like many of the doctor’s and nurses she had seen during the war, studying someone’s wound, “What is the prognosis, doctor?”

Angie shook her head and smiled, “I think you’ll live,” then she put the lamp back on the table, threw a scarf over it and then squeezed some of the ointment onto her fingers and rubbed it on the cut. “But I think you’ll need to spend the day in bed…” She said, smoothing over the cut and looking directly into her eyes with a quirked eyebrow.

“Oh really?”

Angie wiggled her eyebrows up and down, “With me…”

Peggy laughed, clearly thinking about it, but she knew she couldn’t, “Oh, dear heart, I wish I could.”

“Can’t you call in a sickie?” Angie asked, as she leaned over and pushed away the hair from Peggy’s forehead to check the cut from that punch to the head, she took the night before.

Peggy sighed and it was her turn to pout. She really wished she could take one of the many sick days she had stored up, but now was not the time to do that, especially with the pressure from Chief Dooley to find Howard. Pronto.

“While I would love nothing more than to do just that,” she finally said, feeling terrible to have to let this angel of a woman down.

“I know, English,” Angie said, getting up from the bed. She looked at the ointment tube in her hands and shrugged. “Just wishful thinking…” She turned and went into the bathroom.

Peggy heard the water turn on and guessed she was washing her hands of the ointment. A few minutes went by, then the toilet flushed, and the water ran again. She decided to get up and do her toileting as well. Hopeful that Angie wasn’t getting mad like she had two nights ago when she couldn’t stay for pie and schnapps. That seemed so long ago.

Entering the bathroom in the nude, she was surprised that, up to this point, she really hadn’t given the fact that she was in the buff in front of another person a thought at all. She used to be in semi-states of undress in front of her team mates and school chums, but she never was really very comfortable about being fully in the nude in front of them and not to be self-conscious about that now in front of Angie, was curiously comforting to her. Angie was brushing her teeth when she went in and Peggy wished she could do the same.

Seeing Peggy’s face in the mirror, and understanding what she was thinking, Angie reached into the medicine cabinet and pulled out another toothbrush, handing it over to Peggy with the best smile the brush in her mouth would afford.

Peggy looked at the brush with awe and then back at Angie.

Angie shrugged, “Ma,” was all the explanation she offered and then spit into the sink. Next, she took the water glass and placed it under the water, rinsing her mouth and spitting once again. As she toweled off her face, she moved to let Peggy get at the basin.

Peggy moved in front of it and put the toothbrush down while she first washed her hands, then brushed her teeth with Angie now brushing out her hair and checking herself in the mirror. Peggy caught a slight whiff of something faintly musky on her fingers and realized it was Angie’s scent, her own womanhood contracted in excitement and she felt a twinge of soreness. Her eyes grew wide, then narrowed as she realized Angie was right. She hadn’t noticed anything while walking to the bathroom, but now the pain was evident.

“Oh…” was all Peggy said.

“You okay there, Peg?” Angie asked, puzzled.

“I…uh…”

“You need something?”

Peggy thought a moment and then asked her question, “How long before the pain goes away?”

“In your leg or the cut on the head?”

Peggy shook her head, “In the…” she then dropped her index finger and pointed down, cocking her head to one side.

Angie snorted a laugh, “Oh that,” she grinned.

“Yes, _that_ ,” Peggy said, with mock indignation.

“Couple of days, maybe a week?”

“A week?!”

“Well, especially if it gets used again,” she winked.

Peggy narrowed her eyes and grinned at Angie who looked back inquisitively.

“I guess then it’s _you_ , who will be the pillow queen, _Queen_ Angie,” Peggy said, wryly.

Angie laughed, as she left the bathroom, “You know, there are other things one could do for pleasure, _King_ Peggy?”

Peggy eyes grew wide, and then she just stared at the door after it closed thinking of those possibilities as a smile slowly made her way onto her lips.

Angie was laying on the bed, going over in her head, the incredible experience that just happened. She smiled as she felt the hum of pleasure that was still in her womanhood, it deepened as she thought of Peggy and the incredible climax, she had just given her. Angie again thought about how she didn’t think in a million years that things would have progressed so quickly, especially, since Peggy wasn’t used to being with other women. She also thought about how she would have gladly been the “giver” in the relationship, content to have Peggy being the pillow queen. She really did love pleasuring her partners, and to say she was a giving person, would have been an understatement. She gave on many occasions, never really thinking of her own pleasure. If her partner did manage to give her pleasure, it was appreciated, but it never was as intense as it just was with Peggy. Angie realized what true love did for the libido and rather than fear that, she felt grateful. Grateful that she had someone that she could give herself to, fully. There had been only one other person that she could truly do that with, but she tried not to think of them right now. It didn’t seem right or fair.

Peggy was finishing up in the bathroom, the pain in her clitoris had made normal toileting and washing a little difficult, but she did her best to clean herself. She wanted to spend some more time with Angie before she had to get up and go meet Jarvis. The pain was curious, having never felt both pleasure and pain at the same time so acutely in all her life, and she really hoped that it wouldn’t hinder her plans with Angie in the coming days. She saw many nights, when she wasn’t trying to save Howard’s neck, together between them and she wanted to be ready to do whatever Angie wanted to do. Especially, if it involved what they did tonight. Maybe even a movie, if Angie wanted that. She wasn’t much for them, but she wanted to please her, in whatever way she could.

Peggy finally came out of the bathroom and Angie rolled over onto her side, stretching seductively across the bed and looked at her.

“How did it go in there?” she said, with a grin while looking appreciatively at Peggy’s body as it was silhouetted by the light behind her. It was like seeing a real-life, dark-haired Venus, from the Botticelli painting, except instead of the sea, she was framed by her bathroom.

“You know very well what happened in there, Doctor Martinelli,” Peggy said, accusatorily and turned off the light of the bathroom. Suddenly lunging, catlike, towards the bed on the floor.

Angie laughed and braced herself for the impact as Peggy flopped half on the bed and half on her body.

“Oof!” Angie mock exclaimed, she was surprised at how Peggy was able to keep her weight up on her arms, after the seemingly haphazard way she threw herself on the bed, effectively keeping most of it off Angie.

The smiles turned to looks of lust and they kissed passionately but slowly, trying not to hurry their time together.

They broke briefly and Peggy was welcomed under the covers by Angie.

“I think I’ve been turned into a harlot,” Peggy remarked, as she looked at her naked self before putting the covers over her body and laying back on the pillow. “I might never wear clothes again.”

“You have my full support on that,” Angie said, and cuddled up to her from the side. Peggy flung an arm over her and pulled Angie tighter to her, looking into her face. She studied her eyes again, they were so beautiful, much more interesting than her own, she thought. Right now, in the low lamp light she would have sworn they were green, but always with the flecks of brown, especially at the bottom of her left eye. She’d have to study what caused that.

Angie saw a question in Peggy’s eyes and waited for her to speak it. Finally, after some thought, Peggy broke the silence, “What do we…I mean, what should we…are…are we….”

“Lovers?”

Peggy mulled that over in her mind, she would say yes, but that designation always seemed a little too non-committal to her. Almost of the ‘two-ships-passing-in-the-night-variety’, no, she decided, that wouldn’t do for them, for what she felt for Angie, then it hit her.

“Sweethearts?” Peggy asked.

Angie’s face lit up with the biggest smile, “Really?”

“Of course, really; why not?”

“I don’t know, Peg, that’s a big step…”

Peggy narrowed her eyes as Angie, “You think ‘sweethearts’ is a bigger step than ‘lovers’?”

“Well, I always saw my Ma and Pop as sweethearts, you know?” she thought more about that, “and someone like Ava Gardner and…”

Peggy quirked an eyebrow, “Anybody else…?”

“Oh, you…”

“Met her in Italy at a USO show, she had designs on…someone that I knew, it was quite a sight, seeing her going after him.”

Angie felt Peggy was going to reveal something there, but she decided not to press it, in her own sweet time she would let her tell her story. So, she could tell hers.

“So, sweethearts it is?”

“I think that suits us just fine, although you might know more about these things than I do, what does one do as…women sweethearts?”

Angie shrugged, “Anything other sweethearts do, without the public part, I mean. We can still go out places, I’ve even danced with a few…other women, but you know…”

“No necking in public?” Peggy said, with a smile. “I think I can manage…just barely.” She leaned in for another burning kiss.

When it ended, Angie now wanted to ask a question, “So…Peggy…”

“Yes, love?”

That was a new endearment, and it made Angie’s heart race a bit, she faltered in her boldness to ask her question, so she instead asked, “What does it stand for?”

“What?”

“Peggy…”

Peggy was confused and pulled back a little to look again at Angie, who in turn looked up at her, “Have you hit your head, dearest?” She put her hand on Angie’s forehead checking for fever or injury.

Angie laughed, “No…I mean, where does the name ‘Peggy’ come from?”

“You don’t know from what name ‘Peggy’ derives, is that it?”

“Yes, Miss Crabtree,” Angie said.

“Where do you think it derives from?” Peggy was genuinely curious as to what Angie’s answer would be.

Angie looked a little nervous, then said, “Pegine?”

There was a look of shock then consternation on Peggy’s face, “PEG- _INE_?”

Angie laughed and shrugged again, “What?”

“PEG- _INE_?! What sort of name is that?”

“French?”

Peggy lay back staring at the ceiling in mock indignation, she sensed Angie might have been kidding around. At least she hoped she was. _Pegine,_ indeed.

“Dearest, you are so, _so_ lucky that I have fallen quite in love with you, or so help me…”

Angie was a little taken aback by that, “In…love?” she asked, tentatively.

Peggy lifted her head slightly to look Angie in the eyes, “Is that okay? I thought that’s what sweethearts were about? Well, until I heard this _Pegine_ …thing, I really don’t know what to think now…”

“Well, so what does it stand for?” Angie was getting mock impatient trying mainly to get Peggy off of feeling differently about her.

“Margaret,” she finally decided not to push it any further.

“Margaret…really? That’s pretty.”

“Well, thank you very much. But really, did you truly not know what Peggy derived from?”

“Well, not to sound stupid, but I went to school with two girls that were named Margaret and we always called them Marge, or Margie.”

“Yes, and there’s Meg and Maggie and Greta, and…” she was going to say ‘Rita’ but stopped herself, she knew Angie didn’t know anything of Gen and her time in France, but she didn’t want to bring anything into their discussion that made her think of past flames. The part about Ava Gardner going after Steve was about as far as she would go, for tonight. With their relationship being so new, she didn’t want to chance anything until they were pretty well established.

“Can’t think of any more?”

“I can only think of you right now, darling,” Peggy said, and then leaned down slightly for another kiss. “And now I shall dream you,” she sighed and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to take her.

She knew they didn’t have much time, just about an hour before she had to get back over to her place to change and then meet Jarvis. So, when the kiss broke, she settled Angie more comfortably into her side so they could both sleep a little longer.

*****

Peggy woke up ten minutes before she needed to be, thankfully. It was curious but any time in her life, when she had an important appointment, she would wake up every hour on the hour and especially right before she had to get up, even when she had set an alarm. Angie was happily sleeping next to her and she really didn’t want to disturb her, but she didn’t want to just get up without saying anything to her or kissing her, if truth be told. She was quite addicted now, to the way Angie made her feel. Something she didn’t really get to experience with any of her past loves, in this intimate way.

“Angie, dear heart,” Peggy whispered and kissed the top of Angie’s head. When she didn’t say anything but just burrowed into Peggy’s side more, she kissed Angie’s forehead and said, “Darling, I have to get up…but I wanted to say a proper good bye, are you up?”

“Mmmmwhat time is it?”

“Around four.”

“Four? You have at least four hours to get up, English…I’ll help you shower and get ready…” she said, sleep evident in her voice.

“No, sweetheart, I have to get back to my place before the others start to stir, as I really don’t want to risk my neck in the dark on that ledge.” Her voice became innocent as she said, “Unless you think it’s best, I guess I _could_ just climb out there-” 

“No!” Angie cut her off sharply. “I’m up! I am not happy about you leaving so early, but I’m up!”

Angie looked up at Peggy and they shared a sweet good morning kiss, that deepened quickly. After a few moments they parted and looked hungrily at each other.

“Before you ask,” Peggy said, seeing the words in Angie’s eyes before she got a chance to speak them. “I wish more than anything that I could just stay here all day, but I really do need to go.” Seeing the disappointment in those now blue-grey eyes, she quickly added, “If you have off on Sunday, maybe we could spend the whole day together?”

“I am hoping,” Angie said and leaned in for another long, slow kiss that showed she meant it. Stupidly, she still couldn’t bring herself to ask her to come with her to meet her parents. Her mother had called her only this morning to ask if she had asked Peggy yet.

In Peggy’s mind, she allowed herself one brief moment to think of how bad it would be to just give in to Angie and stay, but then she saw a firing squad fixing their rifles on their shoulders and she thought better of it.

“Will I see you at all _before_ Sunday?” Angie asked, after their kiss was done.

“Of course, darling,” Peggy said and placed a quick kiss on Angie’s lips. “I mean with the nature of my…of...well, you know, being that I work odd hours, I might not always be able to commit to things but I will definitely try and do my best to make time for us. Especially, after curfew.” She smiled and raised a mischievous eyebrow.

“That wonderful, glorious curfew,” Angie said, with her own mischief dancing on her face.

“Now, be a good girl, and give me one more kiss so that I can take your lips with me for the rest of the day,” Peggy said, with a lusty look in her eyes.

Angie’s heart was beating hard at that thought as she captured Peggy’s lips in a quick but passionate kiss. Peggy was up and out of their love bed on the floor as soon as Angie tried to deepen the kiss.

Angie sighed at the loss of Peggy in the bed, and then turned on her stomach, the covers only half wrapping around her body, to watch her pick up her clothes from the floor and put them back on.

“I’ll leave the jumper you gave me to wear…” She said of the sweatshirt Angie had given her the night before.

“It’ll be waiting for you, when you come back tonight,” Angie smiled, and added, “I mean, if you can…”

“It’ll be all I can do to wait until tonight,” Peggy smiled back as she put it over the end of Angie’s bed and then put her robe on over her naked body.

Angie sighed at that loss, too.

“I should have made you something to eat before you go,” she said, suddenly worried if Peggy was going to get a chance to eat before she had to go to work.

“No worries, dear, I’ve got biscuits and I’ll have a tea before I have to leave,” Peggy said, as she put on her slippers. Finally, she was done and she regarded Angie, half naked in the bed, it was really a beautiful sight to see.

“Doesn’t substitute for a nice omelet with mushrooms and swiss.”

“You…you can make that here?”

“Got a little plug in heating coil and pan, can make anything really. I only go down to the communal spot to see people, and because my Ma and Pop insisted on paying the extra for that. I guess they think I’ll starve otherwise,” she shrugged.

“Well, we’ll have to put that to good use someday,” Peggy winked. “Now, I must run or I could be caught leaving your boudoir at an ungodly hour and it might get back to Miriam,” she stooped down, kissed Angie on the head and made her way out of the door.

Angie laid back and sighed, then lifted her hand to her head in rapt awe, as she remembered all that took place in the last few hours.

*****

Peggy was washed, dressed and two blocks away when Jarvis picked her up to go to the train yards for their mission to pick up Howard. Jarvis had filled her in on the plan and she eyerolled for the sixth time when he mentioned how he was to be the negotiator, she really did not want to be here doing this, and had to talk herself out of going back to Angie’s room about three times before she got out of her flat.

She was not impressed by having to beat people up this early in the morning, all to pick up Howard who stupidly decided to come back into the country when every national and local law enforcement agency was on high alert and out for blood. It was one of the things that really annoyed her about him.

Having to sneak him into the Griffith at six am was the other thing that annoyed her about him. Especially, when she had to wrest him from Lorraine’s apartment, with lipstick all over his face, and him tucking his shirt back into his pants no less.

If she got thrown out of here, especially with her and Angie’s newfound relationship, she would turn him into Dooley herself. Or so she would have to be talked out of doing that by Jarvis, anyway.

At work, the day didn’t get any better, as Agent Thompson gathered the troops around and announced that the Chief was off trying to break a lead in Howard’s case which meant that he was now in charge, she had to swallow down some bile that threatened to bubble up. This guy was a “bonafide chooch”, as Angie would have called him. When he said that they should call their wives because they weren’t going home for a while, she wondered if she could call Angie, just to talk and to say hello. She knew she didn’t have to stay late to put in any kind of meaningful research into the case, since Thompson didn’t respect her abilities enough to give her that kind of responsibility.

When he called her Marge and told her to take the lunch orders, besides her disdain for being right about how he saw her, she thought of Angie briefly and the conversation around her nickname. She was going to smile and allow herself a few more moments of thinking about last night and this morning, but she really needed to get to the lab and take the pictures of Howard’s invention with the camera pen he just _had_ to risk his life to bring to her himself. That thought still gnawed at her brain, but she tried to push it to the side and do what she needed to get done.

Back at the Griffith later that night, which couldn’t have come soon enough, she discovered that Howard was now passing the time in Helen’s room. Besides being disappointed in her fellow female kind, she was also jealous that he got to kiss and have passionate time with anyone he pleased, when she had to do his bidding and probably wouldn’t be able to see Angie for any meaningful length of time. She would definitely not be introducing him to her, for many, many reasons. It was not something that was ingratiating him to her. When she got him back into her room, the word disgusting was what she used to describe him, but about a dozen other words also sprung to her mind. Lecherous, repulsive, flagrant, careless, reckless, thoughtless, basically anything with “less” in it, was a good word to describe him at this point.

She managed to keep her composure as she was looking at the film role from the camera pen. She took note of a few of the positions she saw the woman in, not that she was going to try them out with Angie or anything, just something to note is all it was. She still managed to look disdainfully at him.

Then someone knocked at her door, and she heard Angie call for her, she had to maintain an air of not caring who it was, so she sounded annoyed at being disturbed, but her heart sped up at the voice. When Howard said that Angie sounded nice, she wondered if she had time to drown him in the bathtub and send his lifeless body down the laundry shoot, but only warned him to stay away from her. She reluctantly turned down Angie’s offer to go down to dinner and wanted to smile at her thought to her stomach’s wellbeing, but Howard un-surprisingly ordered her to go, for the sake of _his_ stomach.

Out in the hall, she smiled a huge smile that Angie returned in mega-watt fashion and they took each other’s hand, squeezing it tight. They would have come together for a quick kiss, but Lorraine came around the corner and told Angie that her mother was on the phone but as Angie started to go answer it, Lorraine said the call was actually for Peggy.

“M-me?” Peggy asked, looking puzzled at Angie. “Why would she want to talk to _me_?”

Angie lowered her head in shame, she still hadn’t asked Peggy to go to dinner this Sunday and now it was coming back to bite her seriously in the behind. Angie pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to think of excuses that Peggy could use to refuse the call.

Finally, sensing Peggy was still waiting for an answer, or at least some guidance, she looked up and said, “She…there’s this dinner on Sunday…”

A smile tugged at the corner of Peggy’s mouth and she nodded at Angie, knowing exactly what she needed to do. Without another word, she went to go take the call. 

“Hello, Mrs. Martinelli, this is Peggy Carter, how are you? I have heard so much about you, it’s almost as if I know you…” It didn’t hurt to embellish the truth when talking to your sweetheart’s mother.

“Peggy, I’m finally talking to you! I’m fine, how are you? I’ve heard so much about you, too! Listen, I’m really sorry to disturb, but suddenly one of my children has forgotten her manners and I have to pick up the slack, you can imagine how that goes. Vin!” she yelled, and Peggy had to hold the phone out from her ear. Mrs. Martinelli was addressing her son who was taking a piece of bread from the loaf next to the stove and trying to poach a meatball from the sauce. “Those are for dinner, and don’t you go filling up on bread either! Gavone!”

Angie went to the corner of the hall to hear what Peggy was saying without being spotted.

“Excuse me, my son is a glutinous beast and I wonder how we’ll all survive. Anyhow,” Mrs. Martinelli continued and Peggy understood where Angie got her rapid fire delivery. “I don’t want to take much of your time, I had asked Angie to ask you to dinner on Sunday, we like to do a big meal and invite our children’s…friends, when they have them and we’d like to meet them…so I wanted to know if you’d like to come this Sunday?”

Peggy started to reply but Mrs. Martinelli continued, “That is of course, if you’re not doing anything, which these days, who knows what anyone gets up to, but I really hope you can come. We’re doing a regular English roast dinner and we hope you’ll be able to join us.”

“I’d love to!” Peggy said, quickly, not only because of the promise of regular home cooking and an English roast dinner to boot, but because she was afraid that Mrs. Martinelli would lose her wind and pass out.

“Oh, yeah? You’re not busy?”

“Not busy in the least…” Peggy wasn’t sure what Howard would have her do, but work never impugned on her time, especially not on the weekends. At one time, that would have made her mad, but in this case, she was glad her weekends were free since Angie seemed to have Saturday mostly off and Sunday completely free and now she was being invited to her family’s Sunday dinners. “It will be my pleasure. Can I bring anything? Wine or…?”

“Nothing, dear, just bring yourself, we make our own wine and we have everything else covered. I look forward to meeting you.”

“And I look forward to meeting you,” Peggy said, her heart swelling a bit. She did miss her mother and Angie’s mother was definitely someone she knew she was going to like. “Until Sunday…”

“Until Sunday…” Mrs. Martinelli could see why Angie liked this Peggy, she sounded like she had a really good head on her shoulders and if her face was anything like her voice, well, she didn’t usually think of women that way, but since Angie did, she tried to understand what it was about them and she definitely could understand it with Peggy. “One thing, do you think you could do me a favor?”

“Anything,” Peggy said.

“Is Angie there with you? Can you put her on?”

Peggy looked behind her and didn’t see anyone.

“I’m not sure…she might have gone back into her room, one moment and I’ll see if I can go fetch her.”

Angie quickly went back to her room and pretended to come out of the door when Peggy came around the corner.

“Oh, there you are, darling. Your mum would like to speak to you on the telephone,” she thumbed towards the hall, indicating the direction of the phone.

“Oh, really? Okay,” She said cheerily, then looked at Peggy with worry as they walked down the hall. “How did it go,” she whispered.

“Perfect, I’ll tell you about it in a bit, I’m going to go down to dinner,” she then lowered her voice and said, “We’ll talk about why you thought you couldn’t ask me to Sunday dinner when I see you later. Now,” she said, leaning in closer. “I am going to bring my food back up to my room, I have something to do there, but I will knock on yours in hopefully ten to twenty minutes and we’ll talk.”

Angie closed her eyes and shook her head. She couldn’t believe that she landed in the doghouse so soon in their relationship, the odd thing was that she didn’t know why but it made her smile at the thought.

Peggy was amazed at the cool, calm and collected manner that Angie was acting in as she came up close behind her at the buffet and reached around her to get at the rolls, putting them in her purse. The proximity to Angie’s person made her a little jumpy, as well as the fact that she was stealing food, but as the women told her it was a regular practice, and Angie described Carole fitting an entire chicken down her sweater, she relaxed a little. Though, the fact that Howard was still in her room, without Angie knowing, and that she wasn’t quite sure how to break it to her, was making her want to run. Also, the fact that she would be concealing something important from her girlfriend, this soon in their relationship, was making her feel guilty and she didn’t like that feeling one bit.

As she was making her goodbyes, she thought about telling Angie what she really did for a living and it made her shoulders feel a little lighter. She would tell her soon, just as soon as she could find a way to do it.

When Howard told her that all of his inventions were in the lab at the SSR she was elated, she’d be able to spend some time in Angie’s room tonight and who knows what they would get up to. Her womanhood was still hurting a bit, but Angie had told her there were other things they could get up to for pleasure and that piqued her curiosity.

Howard’s face was not happy, so she asked, “Why is your mustache so sad?” chuckling at her joke.

“I need you to steal one of them back,” he said, gravely and her heart sank.

Her night of pleasure just went out the window and she moved to sit on the bed. As she listened to his story about what the invention, that she needed to steal back, did she saw him in a bit of a different light then she had been recently. It was the old Howard she knew, a little bit of a misbehaving bad boy, but a solid patriot, nonetheless. When he asked her not to let him be the one who shut down the greatest city on the planet, she felt a reverence towards him. His words spoke to her in that way that people did when they spoke of their love for their hometown. She loved her home in England, but over the past year or so, New York had become her new home, especially since Steve had lived here and now Angie was from here as well. She definitely did not want to see it plunged into darkness, so she didn’t think twice about going on this mission tonight. She just didn’t know what she was going to say to Angie.

It was a good thing Peggy didn’t make any promises about tonight, she had just told her they would talk, but she had also told her she had some things to do in her room, so she would let her think there was something she forgot back at the phone company and she would be back later. Hopefully, they would still be able to spend some time together back in Angie’s room, after Howard was finally gone from hers.

But there was one thing she was certain of; she was definitely not going to tell her she worked for the SSR tonight. She also wasn’t going to out and out lie to her. She made Howard promise not to leave the room and she made her way to Angie’s room.

Quietly knocking on the door she waited for her to answer it, her heart racing for more reasons than one.

“Hiya, Peg,” Angie said, with a wicked smirk. “Come for that sugar I told you about?”

Peggy had to laugh, “Why yes, my cup is suddenly empty and it would be nice if you had some to spare.” Peggy cringed at her dialogue, she would never make it as a playwright, or an actress for that matter.

Angie smiled wide and pulled the brunette into her room, shutting the door quickly and waited a beat, Peggy closed the distance between them and then Angie took over, pushing Peggy back up against the door and kissing her with abandon.

“Oh, Peg,” she whispered, as their kiss broke. “I’ve been waiting all day to do that. All day,” she said, panting a little, and then leaned back in for another kiss.

Peggy also had been waiting all day to do this very thing with Angie, but she tried not to get lost in the kiss, she knew she had to keep her head about her because she had some embellishing to do, but Angie was making it very hard with the way she was currently sucking on Peggy’s tongue and moving her hands slowly up the front of her dress.

When she felt two hands squeeze on her breasts simultaneously, she groaned for a moment and that sound in her own ears, seemed to wake her from her trance.

“Darling,” Peggy breathed out, after breaking away from the kiss. She put her hands over Angie’s. At first, she meant to stop them from their current ministrations, but she couldn’t help but push them into her breasts a little harder and just revel in the sensations they were causing to her center, she was happy that it was more pleasure then pain, but then she had to stop what they were doing. “Darling,” she started again and stopped Angie’s hands from moving. “I have to tell you something.”

“I know, Ma told me, you accepted her offer for dinner,” Angie said and moved in for another kiss, but was puzzled when Peggy pulled back slightly. “I mean, I’m sorry that I didn’t ask you myself, Peggy. I don’t know why it was so hard for me.”

“No, not that, dearest, but I can understand what you might have been thinking. I was just surprised that you felt you couldn’t share that with me. I hope you know you can tell me anything.”

Peggy was truthful, but she was also getting that guilty feeling, because she knew she couldn’t reciprocate and tell Angie everything.

Angie groaned a little and put her forehead on Peggy’s chest, the area above her breasts. “I know, English, it’s just…my Ma can be a little pushy…and I…”

“What, darling?” Peggy used this chance at a bit of a heart to heart to break their contact. She pulled Angie over to her daybed and made her sit.

“Well, I just wanted to have you to myself for a while…I know that sounds selfish but…we’re so new and I know this kind of thing can be really fragile…I just didn’t want the added pressure of meeting my family so soon, to potentially spook you.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Peggy reached down and took Angie’s hands into hers. “Please don’t worry about spooking me, at this point. Angela Martinelli, you are decidedly stuck with me and you might think that’s a good thing, but you have yet to realize all that being with Peggy Carter entails.” She stopped before she actually spooked Angie away.

“Great conversation, many laughs, mindblowing love making and tea?”

“Tea is a given…but I am a hand full…” She trailed off again before revealing anything about her work. So she laid the groundwork for telling Angie that she had to go back to work tonight. “Keep late hours, I read excessively, get unbelievably self-righteous and occasionally pious,” she saw a smile pop up on Angie’s face and got the urge to kiss her, but she pressed on. “My feet get cold at the oddest times and I’m a slave to my job.”

“Is that all?”

“To start…and speaking of my job…” she said and pressed on when Angie quirked an eyebrow. “I have to go back there tonight.”

“Tonight? Will there even be anyone there?”

“Oh yes, there’s always someone there.”

“But alone on the train…do you mind if I come with you?”

“Not needed, a co-worker of mine is picking me up, so don’t worry, I’ll be safe as kittens.”

Angie narrowed her eyes, “You know I’ve seen some kittens-”

“Safe kittens!” Peggy cut her off. “It shouldn’t be too long, just have to pick up something that I forgot and that I’ll need before tomorrow.”

“You sure you don’t want me to come along?”

“Really, darling, it’s fine, I’ll just go there pick up what I need to and before you know it, ‘Bob’s your uncle’, I’m back.”

Angie’s mouth settled into a lopsided grin, “Bob _is_ my uncle…well Roberto, but that’s not for today, anyway, you go and come back, English. I’ll be waiting.” Angie pulled Peggy in for a heart stopping kiss and for what seemed like the millionth time that day, Peggy cursed the day she ever met Howard Stark.

*****

Peggy met Jarvis in front of the Griffith and he drove her to the SSR building, dropping her off around the corner, then he went around the block but stopped far enough back so that he could make sure she got there safely. As she made her way to her place of work, she was walking and thinking about Jarvis and what had happened in the car on the way over. She had asked him about the Blitzkrieg Button and saw that he had pulled at his ear when answering her. She immediately recognized that move from when he lied to the men, he was negotiating with, at the train yard earlier that morning. Both times she asked him a question about it the device, just to make sure she couldn’t actually hurt someone if it were to accidentally be pushed and both times he had tugged at his ear. As a control, she asked about whether he thought Howard was planning on using the device himself, to plunge the city in to darkness and he answered her without tugging at his ear. Jarvis had a tell and now she knew she was definitely being lied to by Howard. She just needed to find out why now.

When she got into the lab and switched out the weapon, she took it to the visitation cell and thought about Jarvis and his tell. She was nervous holding it, but she was almost one hundred percent sure that this wasn’t a device that could harm anyone. Drawing a breath, she pushed the button and something that looked exactly like one of the vials of Steve’s blood, that was taken during Project Rebirth, eventually popped up out of it. She thought many things in those few moments that it could have been, after it had popped up. As she took it out of its shell and held it up to the little light that was in the room it glinted off the glass of the vial, highlighting the blood. After a moment of thinking of Steve, she had to bite back a string of obscenities that was threatening to choke her. Remembering where she was and that she didn’t need to get caught sneaking around; she put the vial back, pushing the button to close it, then put the device back into her bag and left the room.

Just then, Agent Yauch came out of the office, so she ducked into the interrogation room before he could see her.

Her heart almost leapt out of her chest when Agent Thompson called her Marge and confirmed that, being a woman, she was not essential personnel in the SSR office and therefore did not need to work overtime. She felt like she wanted to punch someone, and he was a pretty good looking target right about now, but she held her fury in check and tried to position herself to leave in a hurry out of the door. When he was talking about the natural order of the universe and how no man would ever see her as an equal, the fury was building to an all time high. She thought of Steve and how even though he did consider her an equal, it was he who was picked for the super soldier serum, not that it was his fault, but she had thought of herself in that role. She also thought of Howard, and even Jarvis to some extent, lying to her about the Blitzkrieg Button like she was some daft secretary, to do their bidding and to be quiet like a good, blind girl. Like a Betty Carver. Just there to do their cleaning and mending.

As she left the building she did not go back to Jarvis’ car. She felt to furious to deal with him just now so she ducked him and went straight into the subway stop across from the building. On the train ride back, her anger was threatening to overtake her reason. She did the best to calm herself with breathing techniques, and with thinking of the one person right now who saw her as a true equal. Maybe even above her in some way, the way she whispered that she was her Queen and the way she was always looking out for her wellbeing. Asking if she needed Pepto earlier and worrying about whether she would be able to get breakfast before she went to “work” this morning. She also replayed each time she put Peggy’s needs above her own and it started to make her madder. She should be with Angie right at this very moment, not necessarily to make love, but even just to talk, to maybe tell her the truth about where she worked, to thank her for how wonderful she was and to learn more about her family before she had to meet them on Sunday.

Those thoughts finally did the trick of calming her sufficiently, although a slight rage was simmering under the surface as she carried the bag, that had the device with Steve’s blood in it. She hadn’t even slung it over her shoulder, she was too furious and had just been carrying it in her balled-up fist. As she walked up the steps to the Griffith, the only thought that she had was of Howard and how if he tried to lie to her, she just might have to beat him to death with her bare hands.

 _“She is said to have killed five Nazis with her bare hands,”_ she heard Vera’s voice in her head and she realized what capacity could drive her to kill a man with her bare hands. Thinking of Gen in the concentration camps, and what might have led her to that kind of anger was the final thought that brought her back from her own murderous thoughts. By the time she got back to her room, she decided to come at him with softness and understanding so that she didn’t go to jail tonight. Just plainly asking a simple question.

“What’s in the vial?” Peggy asked, Howard with the most soft voice she could muster considering the rage that was threatening to spike again.

When he asked her what vial, her fist clenched and set her jaw.

“What…is in the vial?” She said, more forcefully.

He again thought she was dumb and he tried to get her to think it was something dangerous.

Her anger was at a frightening high and she quickly asked him again, what was in the vial.

He said that they both knew what it was.

She did, but she needed to hear it from him. She needed the truth from one of the men in her life and so help her if she didn’t get it this very moment she didn’t know what would happen.

He surmised she was angry and she denied it, she said she was just curious. It was her turn to lie.

Putting the bag down on her coffee table she stepped closer to him, not breaking eye contact, even though he couldn’t maintain it on his end.

Finally, he looked her in the eye and she asked him for the final time.

When he said the words, “Steve Roger’s blood” the anger finally crested and as if she weren’t controlling her body, she saw her fist fly up, unleashing a right hook that landed its mark beautifully. It surprised her as she saw Howard bent over in pain and she immediately went to her icebox to put ice in her ice bag. As she came back to him she practically threw the bag at him and if he hadn’t reacted quickly it would have hit him in the head. The anger and the hurt in her voice were evident, she wished like hell that they weren’t there but she couldn’t help it. A stream of expletives came spewing forth as she rattled off all the names that she had for him that day.

He angrily shot back his story of why he didn’t always tell the truth and she tried not to care about the story of where he came from and the fact that you can’t get anywhere in this country without money and that’s why his natural instinct was to always lie.

The thought of her lying to Angie, or not exactly telling her the truth was the only thing that made her falter a little in her hardness. But she steeled that away and thought of Steve and what he fought for. She thanked him for reminding her of that and she made a promise to herself not to ever go into blindly helping someone just because she felt starved for a bit of adventure and because the people at her job didn’t respect her.

Finally, she had had enough, she told him she needed fresh air and for him to be gone when she got back. Initially, she was going to go down and outside and walk around the block, but as soon as she got near Angie’s door she heard the music that was playing and she slowed, but decided no, she would just go outside. Picking her head up righteously, she meant to just pass right by the door, but then thinking of Angie and the comfort she could seek in her, made her slow down and she finally stopped, turned on her heel and walked straight up to her door.

She briefly faltered as she brought her hand up to knock, but then immediately gave the door two short sharp knocks. As she was poised to knock again, the door swung open and Angie smiled warmly. All the anger that was in her melted away and changed into tears and helplessly unable to make herself stop, they fell unchecked out of her eyes. Angie moved aside and pulled her in, her face a mask of concern and worry.

“Oh, babe, what happened?! Did someone hurt you? I knew I should have gone with you…”

Peggy shook her head no, but Angie didn’t believe her, the hand she was currently holding had a couple of bruised knuckles and she made her sit as she went to get a dish towel with ice. While she was busy with that, Peggy was trying to calm herself and stop the tears from flowing, but she just couldn’t control them. Her anger at Howard, Thompson, Jarvis and her own inability to control these tears were just too much for her. The knowledge that she had been duped was also in her mind and the affrontery of Howard using the last vestiges of Steve for his own monetary gain were swirling in her head and making her irrationally angry. For a moment she thought she was going to hyperventilate but she managed to fight that off.

Angie was back with the tea towel and she took Peggy’s hand with the sore knuckles into hers, as she bent her head she lifted her hand and placed a kiss on them. Peggy sobbed out with the gesture. She placed her other hand on Angie’s head and stroked it, then watched as Angie placed the towel-covered ice, over her red and sore knuckles.

Angie sat up and looked at her girlfriend, waiting for her to calm down a little as she sat next to her, stroking her back and whispering words of comfort to her, and occasionally kissing the side of her head. After a minute or so Peggy’s tears were finally slowing and her breathing evened out. She suddenly felt tired and had the urge to put her head on Angie’s shoulder and stay that way for a while.

Angie heard the sigh from Peggy and had her take over holding the ice on the back of her hand so she could sit side by side and pull Peggy’s head onto her shoulder. Her arm snaked around her shoulders at the same time and she laid her head on Peggy’s and listened to her breathing, all the while whispering comfort, love and support.

When Peggy was finally all cried out and able to think a clear thought without venomous anger, her stomach growled and she heard a laugh from Angie.

“Lady Tummy? You’re here at the Griffith?!”

Peggy laughed and tried to shield her stomach with her hands, as she had done at the L&L. Even though she knew she couldn’t muffle the noises very well with her hands, she still automatically tried to shield them from being so loud.

Angie looked down at her stomach like she was waiting for a friend to tell her about her day, Peggy couldn’t wait for Angie to start talking to it like she did in the L&L, when she was so hungry she could barely wait until the food was made. If Angie hadn’t brought out the cookies with the milk she ordered she might have went into the kitchen and just started to eat what was there. The fact that she could have just gone to the automat side and gotten a piece of pie or a sandwich to lessen her hunger didn’t occur to her, these ravenous bouts that sometimes hit her took all rational thought from her head.

“And what would Lady Tummy be in the mood for today?” Angie asked and waited patiently for a reply.

Peggy remembered her special talent she’d had since childhood and answered her without opening her mouth.

“What do you have?” Came the disembodied voice that sounded just like she thought Peggy’s stomach would. Angie’s jaw dropped as she looked more intently at her stomach.

“Well, I have some rolls that I took from the buffet tonight, and I could whip up that mushroom swiss cheese omelet I mentioned this morning, Lady Tummy.”

“That would be grand!” The voice that sounded like Peggy was talking into a glass said.

Angie finally looked up at Peggy impressed and her smile grew deeper.

“I didn’t know you were so talented…we could do a double act at the Palace,” Angie said, sincerely.

“Not a chance, dearest, you’re the only actress in this relationship.”

Angie’s face grew more serious, “Can you tell me what happened at work?”

Peggy took a deep breath and found that she just couldn’t bring herself to tell her what she had resolved earlier that day, to tell her what she truly did for a living. She knew she would eventually tell her, but there was just too much that she couldn’t impart to her and she didn’t want to leave it so riddled with holes that she’d still have to embellish, so she just said.

“One of my co-workers, well two really…”  
“Those sons of…they try to get fresh with you?” Angie’s jaw was hard and set as she finished.

“No, no, nothing like that, darling…” Now it was Peggy’s turn to be impressed at the fire she saw in Angie’s eyes and the fist that she had balled up. She realized that Angie would have tried to fight for her if she needed it and that both frightened and excited her. “No, it was just…I have been working on something, something really important and top secret and when I went to retrieve my notes tonight, I found that they had been switched with something else and now I don’t know what I’ll do…” Peggy watched as Angie’s eyes narrowed and she looked at her fist still balled.

“You tell me who I have to talk to down there…”

“No, Angie, you can’t…”

“Like hell I can’t, you just tell me who I need to see, and I’ll get your work back.”

“No really, it’s not that much of a big deal, I’ll be able to fix it, it’s just the sabotage really got to me and I punched out at a wall. I didn’t realize the walls are concrete and now my knuckles are the worse for wear. Besides, the most pressing thing is Lady Tummy right now.”

“You didn’t eat before you left here, did you?” Angie correctly guessed.

Peggy went to lie, then thought of Howard and shook her head.

“I thought I’d just pop out, get it, then rush back and eat whilst chatting with you.”

That wasn’t a lie, it really was her plan, after she saw Howard out of her room, of course.

“Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans?”

Peggy’s heart sped up, surely this Brooklyn born and bred girl wouldn’t know the Scottish poet Robert Burns, “No, what do they say?”

“The best-laid schemes o’ mice and men gang aft agley,” Angie recited from the poem, ‘To a Mouse’ as it was often shortened to.

Peggy’s jaw was slightly open, Angie not only knew the poem but she recited parts of it quite well, from the original Scots-language version. She had to do that in her fourth form and her mother had to practically sit on her to keep her from running away.

“You are simply amazing; do you know that?” Peggy smiled at her reverently.

Angie shrugged and leaned over to Peggy who thought she was coming in for a kiss, but then felt a finger on the bottom of her jaw as Angie shut her mouth for her. She laughed.

Angie laughed too as she got up and went to her icebox in preparation to make Peggy’s omelet.

“ _How_ , do you know so much of British history and culture really?” The spy in Peggy was beginning to think that maybe Angie was also some type of operative, just in the very recesses of her brain, that she tried not to listen to, but still had to be there for her to be effective at her job.

“I told you, English, I had a friend, his family was from England and Wales, as a matter of fact his great granny was from Scotland, god love her, she used to recite that poem all the time when someone would say that their plans went awry. First, she’d say that line, then she’d start from the beginning. I think she really had a thing for mice, anyway…everyone in his family thought she was just crazy, but I knew that she was pretty wise. Couldn’t remember her daughter-in-law’s name half the time, but I think _that_ was on purpose,” she chuckled.

A thought occurred to Peggy, “You wouldn’t have tea by any chance?” she was suddenly really thirsty and craving a nice tea.

“Earl Grey, English breakfast or lapsang souchon?”

“Ooooh, you have lapsang souchon?”

“Yep, get it from this guy in Chinatown, best darn tea monger in the city,” Angie said, as she took the tin off the shelf and handed it to Peggy.

“I’ll have to try this maybe in the morning…sometime,” Peggy didn’t want to sound too forward and assume she was staying overnight tonight. “I think I’m more in the mood for an Earl Grey. Although…” she was debating as she pulled off the top of the tin and smelled the smoky aroma, it made her take a deep, relaxing breath and she sighed.

“That’s a really good one for relaxing, but I think, at least for complimenting the food, Earl Grey would be the better choice.”

“Earl Grey it is then,” Peggy said, putting the top back on the tin and got up to put it back on the shelf.

“Tea pot is up in the cupboard above your head on the right,” Angie said, as she cracked the eggs and beat them expertly in the bowl.

Peggy opened the cupboard and saw a really beautiful porcelain teapot with the other accessories needed to have a proper English tea. She smiled as she saw the possibilities in her head of tea cakes and sandwiches over tea with Angie on a lazy Sunday afternoon, where neither of them had anything to do.

“This is beautiful, Angie, I am constantly impressed by you; did you know that?”

“Wait’ll you get a load of this omelet; do you like onions?”

“Love ‘em,” Peggy replied.

“I don’t put in too much, just for the taste, so you won’t have to worry about your breath later,” Angie winked.

After all the cooking and tea brewing was done, they sat down to eat at one of the side tables Angie had made up near the window as a cozy little spot, she used the nightstand to put the tea service on.

Peggy took one bite of the omelet and her eyes rolled back in her head.

“How?!” she asked, part of the bite of food tucked into the side of her mouth.

“How what?” Angie said, puzzled.

“How do you get the egg…so light and fluffy yet so rich…and the cheese…piquant…sweet, yet…”

“You just gotta know where to shop, I guess,” she shrugged, and put the fork in her mouth. She hadn’t eaten either, when Peggy had left, she figured she’d talk her into letting her make the omelet for her instead of their stolen haul from the buffet. It’s funny, they were worried about stealing the food that they paid extra for each month in their rent.

After Peggy marveled through the meal, which went pretty silent as both of the women were fairly hungry, they settled onto Angie’s bed with their tea.

“Oh, Angie, that was…”

“Somethin’ right?”

“More than something I’d say. Where did you get that jam?”

“The tomato one?”

“Yes, that was particularly lovely,” Peggy said.

“Little place on Sullivan street down in Little Italy. The owner is a fourth cousin or something, makes the best Italian type jams and jellies, I have one that’s pepperoncini, fig, of course. My favorite is the tomato, I don’t know, I think I might have tomato sauce running in my veins instead of blood.”

Peggy laughed, “I think I might have tea running through mine, possibly cheese sauce.”

“Oh, like you make with the cauliflower bake?”

“Yes, that is like heaven in a bowl, always has been my favorite.”

“Good to know…” Angie said, with a wink.

“Do you think you can make it on your hot plate?!” Peggy joked.

“Well, I could manage the sauce, but I haven’t been able to sneak the oven up here yet,” Angie said, like she had a plan to do that very thing.

“If you do manage that, I’d never leave here.”

“Well then, I’ll have to call my brother first thing. We’ll hoist it up through the window, like a piano…”

Peggy believed that she would do that for her, she smiled again as she thought of an oven dangling from a crane in the street.

“Your mother was very lovely to talk to tonight…” Peggy said, trailing off to let Angie adjust to where the conversation was headed.

“I…I’m so sorry about that…”

“Don’t be, honestly, I didn’t bring it up to catch you out, darling. I really did think she was lovely, made me think of my mum and that I really am going to have a wonderful time with your parents this Sunday.”

Angie relaxed a little, “I can’t wait for you to meet them now. I’m sorry I tried to keep you to myself for as long as possible.”

Peggy put her hand on Angie’s thigh, “You don’t have to worry about me, Angie. I’m not going anywhere, honestly. Especially, not after that omelet.” She smiled widely and Angie put her hand over hers.

“I’ll go whip up another for you…”

“Oh, I’m full up on food, for now…”

The heat that both saw in each other’s eyes was causing their hearts to speed up and they both closed the gap simultaneously for a passionate kiss that threatened to spill their tea. They broke apart briefly and Angie took Peggy’s cup and set it on the side table with her own. She then moved closer to Peggy and put both arms around her, properly for the first time since she left to go back to work earlier.

The kiss lasted a few moments longer than humans need to breathe and when they broke apart, they looked at each other catching their breath for a few moments before diving back into another heart stopping kiss.

As Peggy felt Angie’s hands wander down to her chest, she suddenly realized that she had wanted this to be a time where she was able to learn more about Angie’s family.

“Dearest,” she said as she pulled back from the kiss. She gasped as Angie found a particularly sensitive spot on her neck and was doing her best to drive her wild by kissing and nipping at it. “W-wait…I’d…ooooh St. George help me…”

Angie pulled back and laughed. “That’s a good one, English, I need to use that sometime.”

“I just…” Peggy tried to formulate the words as Angie’s hands were still in places that were making her lose her train of thought. “I thought we could talk a bit, get to know each other more. I mean, I’m going to be meeting your family soon, and I…sort of embellished a fact to your mother.”

“Oh yeah? What?”

“I told her I had heard so much of her, which is not exactly true, lately when we’re together we seem to devolve into…”

“Deliciousness?” Angie said while wiggling her eyebrows.

“Exactly!” Peggy laughed and then smoothed over Angie’s upper arm. “Don’t get me wrong, darling, I love our newfound passion sessions. I just want to make sure I get to properly know you and your family.”

“That’s fair and very mature of you, Peg,” Angie said, maturely even thought she wanted to whine like a four-year-old who didn’t get its treat. “I do want to know more about you, too,” she said, sincerely, as she rubbed the sides of Peggy’s hips, something stirred in Peggy that she was trying to keep in check.

“Maybe we need to sit on opposite ends of the room for this,” Peggy said, before surprising Angie with another scorching kiss.

“Okay, that’s it, I’m going to be the bigger person here,” Angie said, dramatically after ending the kiss and got off the bed, moving to her armchair. “Especially, because in about 2.2 seconds I would have lost it.” She got up again and went to the side table, to make Peggy a fresh cup of tea, putting the exact amount of sugar that she had seen Peggy give herself earlier and then handing it to her.

Peggy noted those little things that made her endear herself to Angie even more with each moment they spent together. It was wonderful to experience, and she was now more determined than ever to come out on top in this whole mess with Howard.

As they settled in to chat, Angie suddenly leapt up again and went to her “kitchen”, getting out a pan from the bread cupboard that had a tea towel covering it. She cut two slices of something and brought them back on dishes with little desert forks.

“Apple Crostata, my mom made yesterday and had Vin drop it off this afternoon. Mal’s been after the recipe for a few weeks now.”

Peggy’s eyes grew big as she took in the scent of the apple and spices in the intricate pastry that was folded over the side partially and then dotted over the top in little, flaky, leaf patterns.

“Sorry, I’m all out of vanilla ice cream, it would have been wonderful to put on if the pie was warmed up.”

“Yes, I will marry you…” Peggy said, after she took a bite and her eyes grew big, thinking about the creamy, warm apple crusted pastry.

Angie hesitated for one moment, then laughed out loud for a few moments.

“I didn’t make it, English, you’d have to marry, Ma and Pop would fight you for her to the death.”

“I’m sure he would, this…” she smelled in the aroma again. “This was made by the heavens.”

“I’ll tell her that and she’ll probably fight me for you…” Angie said, sincerely.

As they ate their dessert, Peggy found out that Angie’s mother’s name was Lucia and she was really impressed to know that her father’s name was Angelo, which meant that Angie had been named after him. She would have thought that the firstborn boy, Piero, would have been named for his father, but that hadn’t been the case. Piero, who was called Pete by his parents, was named after Mrs. Martinelli’s grandfather. Pete died when he was only two, from the Spanish Flu. Angie’s voice broke when telling that story, even though she hadn’t been born, her brother was always the topic of conversation like he had had a full life. Pat was born after that and was named for Mr. Martinelli’s beloved father, Pasquale. Peggy also learned more of the reason for Angie knowing so much of British culture and history. Mr. Martinelli’s mother, who they lived with in Brooklyn when Angie was growing up, she learned was an unbelievable “noodge” as Angie called her and would constantly pick at her parents for the way they brought up their children. Angie being a decidedly ungirly girl, got a lot of the unwanted attention from her grandmother and that’s how she learned all about British customs and history. She would sneak off early in the day, when she wasn’t going to school and spent it with her friend, Jack, and his family. He was her friend as far back as she could remember. There was even a family picture of the Martinelli’s with Jack’s decidedly toe-headed smile in the picture because he wouldn’t let Angie leave to go get her picture taken with her family. The look on his face made Peggy smile, she could see he was a good lad and one that would have been much like Dum Dum Dugan was to her.

Peggy could see it was a difficult subject for her while she was starting to tell it, so she told Angie if she didn’t want to talk about it, she didn’t have to.

Angie waved her off and started their story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit: Excerpt from the poem, "To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest With the Plough, November, 1785" by Robert Burns


	7. The Only Man I Ever Think Of With Regret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peggy and Angie continue their heart to heart and dinner with the family is quite revealing. Sorta.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to Christopher and Joanna. Unfortunately, they will never be able to read this dedication, but I write it nonetheless in gratitude for the time I was able to spend with them. #Forever33

As Angie got ready to tell Peggy about Jack and her friendship with him, their relationship really, she sighed and looked down at her hands. She wasn’t exactly ashamed of who Jack was, she just knew she couldn’t really tell the story without crying and revealing something that she hadn’t ever told another soul and wasn’t sure how it would be received, but she vowed she would press on and let Peggy into that part of her world. She just hoped she would understand.

“I don’t know when I met Jack really, I wouldn’t be able to tell you the first time I saw him or anything like that. I just remembered him being part of my world growing up.”

Peggy nodded, she had friends like that in her life that were always there.

“One of the first memories I have of him is trying to be my knight in shining armor and attempting to ‘rescue’ me from Vin taking my ice-cream in the street below. He was standing on the fire escape in his parent’s apartment and if he weren’t pulled back by his father at the last minute, he would have fallen to his death on the sidewalk.”

Peggy gasped, “Sorry, that’s just…”

“I know, thinking back on it I would have had a heart attack if that were my child. I just thought it was normal. My brothers and I were always jumping off of something, never that high before, but there were a few times I got in trouble for jumping out of a tree. It was my specialty. Hide in the tree and then jump on your brother’s back and take his chocolate bar. That’s probably why Vin was trying to take my ice-cream in the first place. We were a little bit of a handful, me and Jack. He was fearless, truly fearless, I never saw him back down from anything. I admired it and I wanted to be like him so much. It was he who first defended me when I announced, at five, that I would be marrying Raggedy Ann. He said that he would be the best man at our wedding and then he and I would get married the next day.”

Peggy put her hand over her heart and smiled, it was just so precious, the both of them.

Angie smiled at Peggy’s gesture and continued, “We used to walk all over Brooklyn together, go down to the docks, fish, dive off the pier, walk over to the shipyard and watch the guys repairing and others unloading or loading the ships. He told me how his grandfather and great uncles worked on building some of the famous big ships over in Belfast for Harland and Wolff. They’d work there during the week and then go back to their families in Wales on the weekend.”

“They didn’t work on the Titanic, did they?”

“As a matter of fact, they did.” Angie said, sadly. “His grandfather then made the decision to move all of them over here. He wanted a new start. Became a railroad man and was hit by one and killed instantly.”

“What a horrible ending,” Peggy said, shocked.

“It’s unfortunately a pattern in that family, I guess in all families, especially touched by war,” Angie said, and nodded her head in solidarity with Peggy. “Anyway, I’ve always been fascinated with history, so being with Jack and his family was like a history lesson every day. They’d give us pennies for being able to recite British poems, history and lore. I probably made close to ten dollars most summers. I think that really trained me for learning lines and being interested in performing. I’d put those pennies in my ‘girl marriage fund’, that Ma called my ‘rainy day’ fund because if Grandma ever knew what it was really for, we’d be kicked out on our ear.”

“Did your parents know you liked girls as far back as that?” Peggy was surprised.

“Yes, I used to challenge them on it, when they would say I _couldn’t_ marry a girl. Not that…I would be hurtful or anything. The fact that I was reasonable and used logic in my arguments really brought them around. I just couldn’t tell anyone about it, least of all my grandmother and the priests and nuns at school.”

“Catholic School girl?” Peggy smirked.

Angie smiled and nodded, “Our Lady Of Refuge, for six years at least, my parents took me out when they saw that I was failing math, but couldn’t get extra help in it. However, I was also failing music, which had more to do with my goofing off, but they were making me stay after for that, and giving me extra lessons.”

“That _is_ curious,” Peggy remarked.

“Jack was so upset when I left Our Lady. You see, even though his family wasn’t Catholic, his parents had sent him there because they thought that the education was the best, and I guess in a way it was, our other friends around the neighborhood were always way behind us in subjects. Anyhow, as the years went by with Jack and I, our friendship never faded. Of course, there were times that other friends would come into our worlds and there would be little jealousies, especially on Jack’s end. If one of my friends from public school came over and I left him to go play with them, he’d call me a ‘flat leaver’ and stomp off in a huff. Boys,” Angie said, with a smirk and shook her head. She continued, “We still got up to crazy, adventurous stuff. During the summers, we’d walk over to the fancy part of town and spy on who wasn’t home, then hop the fence and swim in their pool.”

“We did the same in my circle of friends, but mostly in ponds,” Peggy said.

“That woulda been really great, we could have caught frogs,” Angie said, wistfully. “Anyway, that all kinda stopped one summer when Jack did a stick dive in the shallower end of the pool and almost broke his neck. I was swimming underwater, trying to touch the bottom, when he came slicing through and I heard the most god-awful crack, I thought he had cracked both the bottom of the pool, _and_ his head open and was most certainly dead. I got him to the surface and was elated when I could hear him groaning. He managed to stand up and had his hands on his head, but then he started to pass out. I was then thinking maybe he was partially paralyzed. Do you know how hard it is to get a prone body out of the water?”

Peggy thought of all the times during the war when she had to fish someone out of a body of water but kept the look on her face questioning.

“I managed to do it after a while and we just lay there, me catching my breath and him holding his head and groaning. Turns out he just had a stinger and a mild concussion, but our pool-hopping adventures were few and far between then. I think we only did them once or twice after that. I had to finally put my foot down, being the more practical one.”

“You probably saved his life,” Peggy said.

Angie looked a little sad at that, “Yeah, he always said that’s what I did. But really, it was he who saved mine.”

Angie went quiet for a while and Peggy waited patiently as she could see something playing out in her head, her face was so expressive. She wanted to get up and go kiss her and let her know it was okay, but she didn’t want to disturb her thoughts. She could tell, Angie needed to get this story out.

Angie started up again, “Even though Jack was my best friend in the whole world, I did long for what I saw other people have. Someone that they could be loving with…and hold…and kiss…don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t what you’d call a loose girl or anything, but for some reason, that really mattered to me. So, when we were about eleven or twelve, I told Jack that I wanted to kill myself, because I wouldn’t ever be able to do that with a girl I liked. He took me aside and told me _he’d_ be my girl,” Angie’s voice faltered at that and she smiled at Peggy through tears that were brimming in her eyes. Peggy’s own eyes teared up at the thought of Angie wanting to kill herself and the heartache she must have felt not being able to love who she wanted.

Angie after a bit, “He was crazy, but such a special kid. He knew I was serious though, because even we had said we’d be performers one day, I wasn’t really dramatic for the sake of drama. I had a dark side that I sometimes couldn’t control and once I got a thought in my head, it was hard to get it out.”

Peggy thought of her own dark side that she kept in check. There were times in France when she was alone that she could have ended it or killed every Nazi sympathizer in the town. It was a fine line.

“I’m glad he was able to talk you out of it,” Peggy said, sincerely.

“Me too,” Angie smiled. “He told me that if I died, he would die right alongside me, to tell the truth, that thought really snapped me out of it, but he said to prevent me from having to do that, he was willing to ‘be my girl’. Though he drew the line at getting his hair bobbed and wearing a pinafore.”

Both Angie and Peggy laughed at that picture.

“So, it was then that we started our little make-out sessions, never in public and we never told anyone, but somehow it fulfilled a need and stopped me from wanting to kill myself. Though…when we got older, I told him we had to stop. Me being practical again. I felt bad, but I could tell that he was really getting attached to me that way and I didn’t want to lead him on. He took it well enough; the girls were really starting to notice him and it wasn’t before long he’d gotten a somewhat steady girlfriend. I was thrilled for him, but jealous, the girl he was going with was one of the girls in my class that I secretly had a crush on, she lived in the same building as Jack. And truth be told, I was a little jealous of her, too,” Angie looked down at her hands, sadly. “I was so jumbled in my mind, but I didn’t make waves, I was too scared that if I said anything that I would lose him as a friend and I didn’t know if I could really commit to a relationship with a boy. You know? My mom told me that I could do anything that a boy could do, and one of those things, to me anyway, was loving a girl…never really thought of the fact that a boy could love another boy. _That_ revelation came a little later,” she shook her head, smiling. “I’m so dumb sometimes. Anyway, I didn’t want him to be hurt and I didn’t want to _not_ be true to myself. I warred internally with the fact that I might be selfish, but I have this thing about me, I call it my ‘truth meter’ Ma calls it the ‘bullshit meter’, I can tell if something stinks, ya know? And I can’t bring myself to pretend. No matter what.”

Peggy suddenly got worried, if Angie _could_ detect the truth like that, then this room was going to get really rank when she told her story. Especially the parts about her job and Steve.

Angie was thinking about the fact that it was hard for her to pretend and laughed, “No wonder I haven’t had a big break yet.”

“Stop that,” Peggy scolded her. “Your break will come, you’re a wonderful actress.”

“Thank you, love,” Angie blew her a kiss.

“You’re welcome, love,” Peggy caught it and put it on her lips.

Angie smiled looking at those lips, then she realized she was telling a story, “Where was I?”

“You told Jack you couldn’t be together.”

“Oh yeah, thanks.” She immediately was quiet again. Then started up, sadly, “I told him that I couldn’t lie and that he should live his life like he wanted. I…” Angie faltered and tried to stop herself from crying again. “He was just so fun and full of life, I adored him.”

Peggy realized Angie had been talking about him in the past tense, it hadn’t occurred to her that her friend, Jack, could be dead. She thought maybe they had just been friends back in Brooklyn and he was still there, living his life apart from Angie, because she liked women and they naturally grew apart.

“What happened?”

“We were in junior year of high school,” Angie said, gaining control of herself.

“That’s how old?”

“About sixteen.” Peggy nodded and Angie continued, “He started having blurred vision and his parents thought that he needed glasses, but he refused to go get tested, he didn’t want it to ruin his looks, he said. He didn’t really think anything of it, sometimes he’d have the blurred vision and then it would clear up. It was when he was having headaches so strong that he would have to stop walking to throw up, that I made him go get a checkup. When the doctor saw him, he told his parents to go right to the hospital, not to stop home, there was something resting on his optic nerve.”

“Oh dear…” Peggy said quietly.

“They took x-rays to confirm and the doctor said it was most likely cancer, they could do tests, but they really should operate right away to relieve the pressure.”

Peggy looked down at her hands and then leaned across the gap and took Angie’s hand in hers. That steeled her to be able to tell what happened next.

“They did a successful surgery, everyone called it a miracle, even the doctors. The tumor was encased in a cyst and they were able to remove the whole thing and then sew his skull back together. We spent that summer just hanging out at his place, while he convalesced. Then school was coming up and he was excited, he was seventeen by this time, had finally gotten his license and we were about to go into our senior year in high school. He had just made the most miraculous recovery for anyone with his tumor and the operation he had just had, but he was worried that his hair wouldn’t grow back in time for the senior year formal.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah, really.” She sighed, “I had turned him down for going with him to it for almost a year. I thought he should go with that girl he’d been seeing on and off, Freda, but he kept asking me. When he got sick, I still turned him down, it wasn’t about him, ya know? I just didn’t feel I should go to the formal. My Ma eventually talked me in to going with him, his mom must have called and they conspired. I saw her point of view and then the next day I accepted. It was really wonderful to plan everything with him, what we would wear, the flowers, where we would go after. Most of the time you go to one of the teen friendly places downtown. But he wanted it to be more special, his brother worked in a restaurant, a steak house, with a lot of English and Irish dishes, so we decided to go there. It was a great time…” Angie trailed off again. Peggy realized it was going to get sadder and had the urge to hold Angie, so she got up off the daybed, pulled Angie up from the chair, leading her over and sitting her down, then wrapping her arm around her and comforting her. They with their backs up against the wall and Angie started up again.

“Jack’s brother got the owner to let him keep it open later for us, he would close and clean up after us. That was wonderful, the food was wonderful. Everything…we went out to Coney Island, just to sit and watch the ships move along the harbor. Testing each other with which types they were and where they might be heading. It was a magical night. His dad had given him the car, which really was a rare thing, it was actually for his pop’s work, but he let him drive it sometimes on weekends, to take his mother to this store she liked out in Queens.”

Angie stopped again, and Peggy kissed the side of her head and tightened her arm around her.

“He drove us up to the heights, so we could look down at the town, it was really a sight then…one thing led to another and before you know it, we were kissing like there was no tomorrow. I couldn’t believe it. Something turned on in me and I couldn’t help myself. It wasn’t just because he was sick and I was taking pity or anything like that, I realized that as we were trying to get each other’s clothes off, I couldn’t get enough of him and he couldn’t of me.” Angie looked down at her handkerchief and pulled at it like she was trying to get it straight. “I know I shouldn’t have…but I let him…he touched me and I touched him. And then…”

Peggy squeezed Angie tight and said, “You don’t have to tell all your secrets, dearest,” she was making sure Angie knew that she didn’t need to explain to her what happened, that there was nothing to atone for. “They’re yours to cherish forever.”

Angie nodded, “But…we made love…”

Peggy guessed where Angie’s story had been leading and yet, she was still shocked when Angie said that. Not because he was a boy and Angie liked girls, but because she felt immediately protective and a bit jealous. She had to shake that feeling though, Angie needed her to be understanding and she was going to be everything she could for her.

Angie continued, “And it was beautiful…”

Peggy again had to fight off that feeling of jealousy, she was a little disappointed in herself.

“He was so gentle and loving…and skillful…and then…”

‘Oh no…’ Peggy thought. ‘Please God, no…”

“It was after we were got dressed and were about to head back. The doctor said it was a seizure…grand mal. He was in a coma for days, weeks.” She said, having to stop to compose herself again. Then starting up when she was better.

“I used to volunteer at the hospital twice a week, as a candy striper but my cousin who worked there as a nurse took me under her wing and showed me the ropes on the sly. She knew I had done that nursing course for two years in a row, I really thought I was going to become a nurse after high school, or at least go to a proper nursing school and then become one after. When Jack went into the coma, I visited him every day after school. I became his personal nurse…sorta. Helping to turn him so he didn’t get bed sores, reading him his favorite passages from _How Green Was My Valley_ and Dylan Thomas’ poems. Also, the papers, we kept up with world news, what was going on in the war and everything...I would stay with him until his mom came back from being with his dad and younger sister, my Ma did all the cooking for them so she could get some extra rest. At first when he was stricken, she would practically stay there twenty-four/seven, but then as the weeks progressed, they convinced her to go home and spend time with her family, when I got there after school. I could see she started to hope he would maybe wake up soon.” Angie went quiet again for a bit and then said, “There were moments that I blamed myself, especially in those first days. I even went to church for the first time in years and said about twenty million Hail Mary’s and novenas. Not for my soul, I knew I was going to hell, if there was one. I know that might be shocking, but the church and I weren’t too close, if you catch my drift. I said them for Jack and his soul. He still believed and would try to steer me back to the church. I would go back only because of a couple of the nuns who I knew from school, by this time Jack made his confirmation in the Catholic church, his Grandmother wasn’t pleased, but his parents supported him. I guess he though that by converting to Catholicism, he could sway me back to the church. He was a good egg.”

“How did your parents take you not going to church?”

“Oh, they had a time with it for a while but I told them that I wasn’t worshipping Satan and that I believed in the better angels of the church, I just couldn’t stomach all those pious people I saw in the pews, who then cheat on their wives or husbands, drink all of their money away and then beat their kids, steal from the poor and give to the rich. I couldn’t do it and they finally understood. I still volunteer at the church charities where all the nuns love me. I know in my heart if there is a God, he understands.”

Peggy nodded, “I think he does.”

“Why are you so quick to agree that God is a man?” Angie quirked an eyebrow.

“Well…I…uhhh…” Peggy wasn’t ready to be challenged on that.

“I’m just kidding you, English,” she laughed and then realized she was supposed to be telling her story of what happened to Jack and went silent again.

Peggy waited patiently, kissing the side of Angie’s brow.

“It was two o’clock on a Sunday, Jack’s mom had just come into his room after going to church. I had just finished reading _A Passage To India,_ that was the book for us that week. He loved that book, we both did.” Angie paused again for a short while. “He started to go into distress, his body was failing him.” Her voice faltered, but she pressed on. “I knew it was coming, but he had been so strong I didn’t want to believe it. The nurses rushed in, then the doctor came and finally the priest. He took his last breath, mercifully, about ten minutes later. The rattle coming from his chest was hard to bear, his mother was able to say goodbye to him. We wept together until his father and sister came into the room. They had been called by the hospital and rushed right over. It had been his sister Carys’ fifteenth birthday and they were setting up for a small party. They were going to come to see Jack after they had their cake and ice cream, but something told Mrs. Powell to come right over so they had dropped her off at the hospital and went home. I do believe in divine spirit, I know, I’m a contradiction. Sorry, I get sidetracked.”

“Don’t be sorry, dearest,” Peggy said, and kissed the side of Angie’s head again.

“I stood there with Carys as Mr. and Mrs. Powell cried together. Seeing Jack like that and then how upset her parents were, she fell into my arms and we cried together, too. When Mr. Powell came over and embraced us, I just told him I was sorry, over and over. It was like a reflex and I couldn’t stop it.”

“It wasn’t your fault, Angie” Peggy said, after a while. She had sensed that Angie still held herself responsible for what happened. “Even if you were just walking down the street with Jack, that seizure would have still happened.”

“I know, medically, I know, but…”

“Oh, my own, sweet angel, please, don’t harbor that guilt like that,” Peggy turned Angie to her and looked into her eyes that shone with tears. “You gave him a life filled with the joy of friendship, companionship, love and adventure. You couldn’t have known what was to happen that night of the formal. You should never feel that, in some way, not even slightly, that you caused it.”

Angie’s tears spilled over and she hugged Peggy tight. They stayed that way for a long time until Angie’s sobs subsided and she pulled back.

“Thank you…my love,” she said, quietly and leaned in for a sweet, comforting kiss. “I’ve never told that to anyone else, obviously. My Ma would _not_ understand, for _several_ reasons and the only one I could have told that to, was Jack himself. Thank you for letting me get that off my chest.”

“You are very welcome. I really am honored that you shared that with me and despite all the sadness, I really envy your relationship with Jack. He was quite a wonderful person.”

“He was,” Angie sighed, sadly.

“Do you still keep in touch with his family?”

“His brother and sister, yes…”

‘Oh no,’ Peggy thought.

“His mom died about a year ago, breast cancer,” she said, and her voice broke. “And his dad a few months after that, of a heart attack.”

“Oh, my word,” Peggy said, her heart breaking for his siblings, and Angie. “And Carys?”

“She lives with her older brother, Francis and his family. He even is taking care of his ninety-year-old Scottish grandmother that I told you about, Granny Morison. God love her, she’s still ticking.”

“That’s wonderful to hear, that must be a comfort to them in all this madness, that they can pull together.”

“It really has been. Francis is such a great guy, too. He’s the one that worked at the restaurant Jack and I went to that night, he’s working over in the Dublin House now.”

“That’s the place over on 79th?”

“Yes,” Angie said. “You know it?”

Peggy was a little bit worried, “How long has he worked there?”

“About a year,” Angie answered, puzzled. “Why?”

“Oh nothing, and yes, I do know it, a friend took me there when I first came to New York,” Peggy decided to come clean. “Truth be told, I got rowdy that night and arm wrestled a bartender, I thought it might have been Frankie.”

“Could have been, Thom, his cousin,” Angie thought of something for a moment. “Wait…”

Peggy cursed herself for not telling Angie about Steve yet, it was all about to be revealed because she just remembered that Thom _was_ the one she arm wrestled and he knew she was Captain America’s girlfriend. Howard had made sure the whole bar knew that, wanting to show off that his friend, Captain America’s girlfriend, could beat anyone at an arm wrestle. Peggy was a bit drunk and complied, though after she beat Thom, no one else wanted to chance their luck. Thom was really gracious about it and gave her a little bowling trophy of his that was up on the shelf with the liquor. When she thought about it, it was probably the best night out she had in New York so far.

“We should go sometime so I can introduce you to all the guys there,” Angie said, with a smile. “They’d be delighted to know that you knew me.”

Peggy was relieved that she hadn’t said anything about remembering Thom said anything about Captain America’s girlfriend, “Y-yes, we should go sometime. But first meetings, first. Your parents…” she said, questioningly.

“What about them?” Angie asked, a little worriedly.

“What other important things should I know, anything?”

Angie was relieved, she thought maybe Peggy was going to cancel on her, “Not anything out of the ordinary. They’re going to ask you a ton of questions. Vin will probably, too. It’ll be just us five, since my parents really want to get to know you. You know…they know…” Angie again was a little worried that it would spook Peggy that her parents knew they were seeing each other, even though she didn’t really say that to them. There weren’t many times that Angie asked to bring one of her girlfriends home, except when she was in school and back then they were pretty much the platonic type.

“I know…” Peggy chuckled. “I figured…” she mimicked Angie’s speaking cadence.

“Honestly, I didn’t even really have to tell them, once I asked if I could invite you to dinner, Ma asked if you were a friend, or a _friend_ friend and when I said ‘Just a friend for now’ she knew, and then of course Pop knew right after that.”

“That’s how it works in every family,” Peggy said, and rubbed Angie’s thigh.

Things went quiet for a little while, then Angie spoke.

“So, what about your family, Peg?”

“Nothing much that I haven’t already told you, dad a professor, mum a housewife. You know about Michael…”

“What was he like?”

Peggy sighed, “A couple of years older than I and like you with Jack, I definitely wanted to be like him. My mum had such a time trying to make me into a proper lady,” she said, with a chuckle.

“I guess we have that in common.”

“We do. I was always fighting dragons for my little dolly; she was the damsel in distress.”

“I one time fought a whole army for Raggedy Ann,” Angie said, in solidarity with her.

“Explain,” Peggy said, with a smile wanting to hear what Angie had gotten up to.

“There was this pack of stray dogs in the alley and one of them got a hold of her by her cap, I chased them down with a stick and threatened them to within an inch of their lives. Either they were really scared of me, or the one holding her in his mouth didn’t think she tasted too well, ‘cause he dropped her and they hightailed it. Ma sewed her a new cap for me.”

“Somehow I can picture that,” Peggy said, and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

“I would have loved to have seen you with your dolly, did you wear armor?”

“Potato sack armour of the best class, absolutely. Then even though Mummy didn’t approve, she fashioned me a knight’s robe and belt that I wore until it was a rag.”

“Do you have a picture of that?”

“I’ll have to ask Mum; I know there was at least one.”

“I’d really love to see it.”

Peggy smiled a little sheepishly and Angie leaned in to kiss the corner of her mouth.

Peggy continued after returning the kiss, “We got up to all sorts of fun, played rugby and cricket, badminton, squash, any sport you name it, we played it.”

“We did as well, except the American version of those sports.”

“And then I developed…”

“I know exactly what you’re going to say,” Angie interrupted. “You developed your…” she put her hands on her chest to illustrate. “‘Peggy Carters’ and they wouldn’t let you play sports with them anymore.”

“Exactly, especially ruggers. I was sad and bitter and turned to solace in my books. From there school took quite a bit of my time and Michael was still an influence, always drilling me in maths and science for my O levels,” Peggy stopped to allow Angie ask what O levels were, but then she remembered that she probably already knew what they were so she continued. “In my last year, my team won our rowing championships and I graduated at the top of my class.”

“Ms. Smarty Pants,” Angie said with a sly wink. She was proud of Peggy and she congratulated her rub to her leg.

“Thank you,” Peggy managed to blush again.

“I picture you as first in your class for everything, am I right?”

“You’re not far off,” Peggy was a little embarrassed at that, but she was definitely proud of her accomplishments.

“What about the war?” Angie asked. “How did you get into it?”

“I-,” Peggy didn’t want to reveal too much, because if she said she was a code breaker and then part of the SOE, Angie might put two and two together and she still wasn’t prepared to tell her about the SSR. “I…Michael recommended me to one of the officers, he knew of my organizational skills, so I was attached to one of the outfits in London and then I was poached by one of the American generals and from there I was assigned to an outfit who was stateside, getting ready to go over to England to join the war, finally.”

“You were what? Like a secretary?”

“More like an instructor,” Peggy said.

“Oh,” Angie wanted to press, but she could sense Peggy didn’t want to reveal all. That was okay with her. For now.

“I helped with research and getting the soldiers ready for a particular mission,” Peggy decided to at least tell her that she wouldn’t be able to reveal much about that. “It was a secret mission, in fact, so if I revealed anything to you, I would have to…”

“Say no more, I don’t feel like dying today,” Angie chuckled. “Is that where you met your beau?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.” Peggy also decided not to call him by his first name, but his middle name. “Grant was someone in the unit, I could see right away he was the right man for the job.”

“Tall, dark and handsome, huh?” Angie smirked.

“Actually, quite the opposite, he was not Adonis material, but he was smart, brave and determined. I was drawn to him immediately. We worked well together, him left out of things because he was small and weak, me because I was a woman. Did I tell you he was from Brooklyn, too?”

“No, he was? Where from?”

“Brooklyn Heights,” Peggy said, then she was sorry she had revealed that.

Something about else about Brooklyn Heights, besides going there with Jack the night of the formal, tugged at Angie’s brain, but she couldn’t think of what.

“Do you visit his family?”

“Unfortunately, they died before I knew him.”

“Oh, that’s too bad…”

There was a bit of silence before Peggy started again.

“Yes, it is, I would have liked to have met them.”

“Did he have any friends?”

“Loads, but one best friend in particular…killed in France. 102nd Airborne Division,” Peggy changed his outfit and location of death so that Angie wouldn’t put two and two together. The story of Captain America and Sgt. James “Bucky” Barnes was understandably well known in Brooklyn.

It wasn’t that Peggy wanted to lie to Angie. In actual fact, she wanted to tell her everything now more than ever, especially after the things she told Peggy that she had never told anyone before. In that vein, she told of her great love for Steve and all that it entailed without revealing who he was or what she did in the war, but then she decided to share a story that she had never told another soul. After she was done recounting the story of her and “Grant”, she picked up Angie’s hand and looked deeply into her eyes and started the story she hadn’t shared before.

“I did have a fiancé before I went into the war, it didn’t work out between us.”

“No?”

“No, I wasn’t right for him and he wasn’t right for me.”

“That’s too bad, Peg…”

“There’s always a reason for something, isn’t that what they say?” Peggy said, with a smile.

“Something like that, I think.”

“And before, Grant, there was someone else…” she trailed off and Angie knew this one was different. Probably something she thought she could never share before. She rubbed Peggy’s hand and gave her an encouraging look.

“Her name was…” Peggy waited as the understanding bloomed on Angie’s face.

“Peg, really? I never thought…”

“You didn’t? Why not?” Peggy smiled and quirked an eyebrow. “You think you’re the only one who has liked a girl before?” She smiled mischeviously.

“So, here I thought I was your first,” Angie said, with mock disappointment in her voice.

“Well, you were darling, in more ways than one, as a matter of fact.”

Angie’s eyes grew wide, “No, really?”

“Really,” Peggy sighed and looked down. “Fred was too much of a gentleman to try anything really lewd, same with S-Grant to a degree, but with him, we were so busy with the war, we didn’t even get a chance to dance together, then he was killed.”

Things went quiet for a few moments.

“Tell me about her,” Angie said, realizing there was someone that Peggy had skipped over in that last sentence.

“How do I begin?” ‘Without revealing everything I can’t right now?’ Peggy thought, so she just decided to talk about Gen. “She…she was beautiful, smart, funny and a natural born leader. We worked side by side for a few months and I, at first, thought she was trying to intimidate me by flirting, but when she stopped, I found myself disappointed and then my little schoolgirl crush went into overdrive.”

“You were how old?”

“Nineteen, it was when I first signed up for duty. In a way she was my first superior, well, besides my training.”

“That’s young, I didn’t think you joined up that early.”

“Michael knew I wasn’t happy where I was, I mean, I was helping the war effort in a big way, but he knew that I needed more of a…hands on experience…that saw a bit more…” Peggy was really close to revealing that she was counterintelligence for the French Resistance. “responsibility,” she decided at the last second to not go there. “I would have been happy where I was, for a short while, but then my life would have started to fall apart and I wouldn’t have known why. Michael could sense that, even when I didn’t and without my knowledge, he recommended me for the unit that then brought me to the United States and to the one I eventually went to the end of the war with.”

“I’m guessing you had a lot of responsibility, Peg. In the short time I’ve known you, I can tell that you could have probably ran a whole Army and now I bet you did.”

Peggy smiled sheepishly at that, “Not a _whole_ Army…” she trailed off with a wry smile.

“And your girl?”

“Well,” she said, sadly. “She wasn’t _really_ mine. Her girlfriend, wife really, had been captured by the Nazis and imprisoned before the war. She was German.”

“Those sons of bitches,” Angie said, with a hint or two of venom in her voice. “For what?”

“For being with Gen, because her father happened to be in the Reich and he didn’t want her with another woman, they only let her out if she agreed to marry a man.”

“That’s sick,” Angie was appalled.

“That’s why we had to defeat them, dearest.”

“Gen was the one you were with?” Angie was trying not to pry too much, but she was curious.

“She was,” Peggy said. “Her name was Geneviève; she was from France. Everyone called her Gen.”

“What did she look like?” Angie asked after a while.

Peggy was hesitant, but at least on this, she didn’t have to lie.

“As a matter of fact, she had light brown hair, with some blond highlights when it shone in the sun and bright blue eyes, like the clearest ocean blue you’d ever seen.”

Angie’s heart was beating harder as Peggy was practically describing her, but she decided to play it coy, “Our ocean is at best green, in the sun.”

“With flecks of green and brown,” Peggy said, smiling as she looked in those almost exact same eyes.

“I’m thinking you’re describing me…” Angie quirked an eyebrow.

“Almost,” Peggy conceded. “You are _maybe_ an inch taller than she.”  
“I’m taller than someone? Finally!” Angie kidded.

“The thing is…we never got to do anything more than kiss.”

Angie’s heart immediately went out to Peggy.

“I’m sorry, honey, truly.”

“It’s true, when I saw you in the L&L that first time, I thought I was seeing a ghost but when you poured me coffee and then got caught up in other diners, I didn’t get a chance to really talk to you, but I knew you weren’t her.”

“Just from that little interaction?”

“Yes, and because of that little interaction, I made sure to come back another day so I could at least talk to you.”

“I was so disappointed when I saw you were gone, but I just chalked it up to being my luck.”

“I felt the same way, I mean. When Gen…when they told us she had gotten captured, it was the night she and I first kissed, well, they told us the next morning. I went a little crazy. Then when…Grant died, I thought I might be cursed. It’s why I…didn’t want to move here with you.” She confessed. “It wasn’t that I wanted to shun you; I mean, after I started to get to know you, it was all I could do not to just move into the diner. I’m sorry,” Peggy laughed an embarrassed laugh.

“What do you have to be sorry for?”

“For being so needy,” Peggy said. “I’m usually not like this.”

“Everyone needs to let their hair down sometimes, sweetheart. Now you got someone that you can do that with,” she said, and squeezed her hand.

“And I appreciate that more than you could know,” Peggy said, looking into Angie’s eyes and showing she was sincere.

“Oh, I know it, because I feel the same about you,” she smiled and then leaned in to kiss Peggy. It was a sweet, unhurried, gratitude filled kiss. Both thankful for each other that they could be there for one another. It wasn’t very long from when they first met, but this relationship was definitely one that both of them were committed to and unapologetic about.

When the kiss ended Angie asked another question, “What happened to Gen?”

Peggy sighed and looked down.

“We don’t know, they said that she was captured at Ostend, or rather, the transmission said that it was her last known location and that there would be no more transmissions from her. We can only assume she was captured and killed. Though, even after the war, there was no story of that, no body, no trace of anything. Her brother and family have not had any contact.”

“And her wife?”

Peggy shook her head, “Nothing, no contact either.”

“And you haven’t received any cryptic or weird messages out of the blue?”

‘Every day,’ Peggy thought. ‘But none that would have been pegged as from Gen.’

Peggy instead shook her head.

“I think that she’s alive, Peg. I mean, I don’t know her at all, but I would think you would have heard something, if she was killed. The Nazis loved to tell the tales of their killings after they were captured, they would have reveled in it. Especially, if, I’m guessing, she was the force I think she was.”

“She was, she most certainly was a force.” Peggy was impressed with Angie’s deductions. She had come to the exact same conclusion long ago. “I hold out hope, that one day I’ll find her,” Peggy explained when she saw a brief look of worry pop up on Angie’s face. “Just to say thank you and see her reunited with her wife.”

“Was that legal?” Angie was hoping there was someplace in the world that same sex marriages were legal.

“In their eyes and the eyes of their friends, yes.”

“That’s lovely,” Angie said, smiling.

“You know what else is lovely?”

“What?”

“You,” Peggy said, and leaned in for another kiss.

Tonight, they didn’t take these kisses to the next level. They were content to just be there with each other, offering and taking comfort in each other’s presence, in their knowledge that neither would be judged or looked down upon. And neither would run from the other when their stories were told.

Well, except when Angie heard about what happened to Colleen and why Peggy wanted to keep so much of her job from her. That was still something that she’d have to work out.

Hopefully, sooner, rather than later.

*****

The next afternoon, as Peggy walked back to work after picking up the lunch orders, she was feeling very much lighter. Angie was right, having someone to tell things to, that you couldn’t tell anyone else, was something invaluable. There were times when she wanted to reveal to Steve her feelings for Gen, but at the time they were still too raw and she didn’t want to confuse him. She had a feeling though, he would have understood.

She was feeling so good, she didn’t even really think of Howard and his betrayal.

Until, as she got closer to the building and crossed the street, she saw Jarvis.

A few very righteous and terse words later, she left him on the corner, to lick his wounds. She hadn’t been kind to him, especially since the thought he knew better.

One day they’d learn, she hoped.

This was Margret Elizabeth “Peggy” “English” “Rita” Carter, not always forthcoming with information about herself or her job, that can blow her cover but someone that had the love and understanding of Steve Rogers, Geneviève Boucher and now Angela Martinelli. That was pretty formidable in and of itself and something she could proudly hold her head up high about.

As she passed out the lunch orders to the men in the office, she told herself that all she had to do was get through today, then she could spend tonight and part of tomorrow with Angie, well, almost all of tomorrow with her, as she would be going to the diner for her lunch and then more Angie time Saturday night and Sunday morning, then dinner with Angie’s family later in the day.

She practically skipped back to her desk.

*****

“Vin, they’re here! Get your father, he’s out back, futzing with his begonias!” Mrs. Martinelli said, as she looked out the window at her daughter and Peggy who were walking up the front porch steps. “Tell your grandmother to put the potatoes into the pot next to the sink and after we make introductions, I’ll clean them and put them on the stove!” she fired off in rapid delivery and smoothed her hair on her head, trying to see her reflection in the picture of her father on the wall. Finally, she gave up and went to the door. 

Before Angie could ring the doorbell, Mrs. Martinelli opened the door.

“Welcome, welcome! Please, come in. Peggy? Is this Peggy?” Mrs. Martinelli looked at Angie, impressed by Peggy’s beauty, as she held a hand out to her to shake. Peggy took it and shook it firmly. Mrs. Martinelli gave another more impressed look. “Come in dear,” She said, with Peggy’s hand still in hers. “it’s so lovely to finally meet you. Ange!” She yelled for her husband who was coming up beside her. “Oh, there you are. Meet Peggy,” she said, handing Peggy’s hand to her husband, she was a little breathless as she still couldn’t believe how beautiful Peggy was, the voice definitely fit. “Angie, darling,” she said her attention now on her daughter. “Have you been eating? Why do you look thinner every time I see you?” she said, looking her up and down and then kissing her on both cheeks and then on the lips.

“Ma, I’ve been eating!”

“Oooh, facce brute! You have to yell at your mother like that?” Mrs. Martinelli asked.

“Ma!” Angie said, then stopped dead in her tracks as she spotted her grandmother, her father’s mother, the one who she had to hide the fact that she liked girls from, was here, in her house, with Peggy.

“Hello, Peggy, very nice to meet you,” Mr. Martinelli said, shaking her hand. “We’re so glad you could come today…” He trailed off as he looked at his wife, who was looking at Angie, who was looking at his mother. “I hope you had a good trip over.”

“It was lovely, thank you.”

Angie’s mother saw the look that Angie briefly had on her face and felt sorry for her daughter, she didn’t get a chance to say anything to her, by the time her brother-in-law, who said he had something to do and couldn’t leave his mother in the house by herself, had dropped off her mother-in-law, Angie and Peggy had already left the Griffith.

“Angie, you should have let Vin come pick you up in the scash!” her father said, as he leaned in to kiss her and hopefully take her mind off the fact that his mother was here.

“Nah, that’s okay, Pop…” she was still looking at her grandmother, who was just making her way into the living room from the kitchen. She was walking slowly, looking like she was trying to blend into the furniture. But Angie knew better, her grandmother always played coy when newcomers were invited over. Angie continued, “It’s a beautiful day and it gave us some time to enjoy it.”

It also gave them time to lazily lie in bed after a fervent night and early morning of love making together and leave on their own time.

“Grandma, I didn’t know you were going to be here?” Angie said, as sweetly as she could.

“Neither did we,” Mrs. Martinelli, said quickly. “Your uncle had something to do,” she shrugged, clearly not happy. “He says. So she’s here for a bit, we don’t know how long.”

Angie could see her mother was not happy with that fact, so she cut her a break and played nice.

“I missed you,” she said, biting her tongue and went over to her, kissing her dutifully.

“Skinny min! Where you been?! How you gonna get a man so skinny, eh?” the short woman said, looking her up and down.

“Hey, Ma,” Mrs. Martinelli said, jumping to her defense. “She said she’s been eating; she’s not looking _that_ underweight.” Angie looked puzzled at her mother, who had just commented on her weight, and received a shrug back from her.

“I’ve been working,” she said, a little loud so she would hear her.

“Who-who’s this?” She gestured towards Peggy who was taking this whole scene in with both mirth and trepidation.

“This is my friend, Grandma,” Angie said.

“Her name is _Grandma_?” Angie’s grandmother’s face was a sight to see, she was thoroughly confused.

“No, sorry.” Angie closed her eyes briefly. “This is my friend, _Peggy_ ,” Angie corrected her. “Peggy, meet my father’s mother, Gaetana Martinelli.”

“Very pleased to meet you,” Peggy said, as she stooped a little so the woman could hear her and she didn’t have to shout.

“Nice to meet you, are you here to meet Angie’s friend? They said Angie’s friend is coming.”

“No, Ma,” Mrs. Martinelli said, and put her hand on her head. Her husband came to her rescue.

“Mama, no, questa è la ragazza, si?”

“See? See what? You said, this is the girl. She’s Angie’s friend?”

“Si,” He said, nodding.

“Oh, si,” she said, and folded her hands in front of her.

“Oy vey! Come, sit everyone, please make yourselves comfortable.” Mrs. Martinelli gestured towards the living room area for them to sit. “Vin! Where did Vincent go? I’m sorry, Peggy, I mean, Miss Carter…”

“No, please, call me Peggy,” Peggy said.

“Peggy, sorry, we’re a little out of sorts,” she gestured at her mother-in-law, as her husband was leading her to a chair. “We didn’t all properly get to meet. You’re going to think we’re un-civilized.”

“No, not at all,” Peggy said, sincerely. She hadn’t had this much fun since she arm wrestled Thom at the Dublin House, as a matter of fact.

“Oh my God, that accent, are you sure you’re not in show business?” Mrs. Martinelli said.

“No, I work at the phone company.”

“Oh yeah? Which building? The one in Brooklyn? Or down on West Street in Manhattan?”

“N-No, the one off of 59th street,” Peggy said, cautiously.

“Oh, right, near where Angie works,” Mrs. Martinelli said, pointing in her daughter’s direction. “Well, Miss Carter, I mean, Peggy, you might _say_ you work for the phone company, but you don’t have me fooled.” Mrs. Martinelli said, with a devilish glint in her eyes.

Peggy froze and her heart sped up, but outwardly she only looked inquisitive.

“No, darling, you _sound_ like you should be in movies, you _look_ like you should be in movies. No, Vin?”

Peggy relaxed and smiled at Vincent who had just come into the room.

“Hi, I’m Vincent,” he said, as he shook Peggy’s hand. “That crazy lady over there is my mother, did you meet her yet?”

Peggy smiled, but shook her head as if to say, ‘You better watch it’. “Nice to meet you, Vincent.”

“Call me, Vin or Vinny, everyone does,” he smiled sincerely.

“Disgraziado! He calls his mother crazy,” she said to her son. “Come, come sit, Peggy, Angie, come sit.” she gestured to the sofa for them to sit next to each other, Angie in the middle of Peggy and her mother-in-law, who was on the very end, with Mr. Martinelli in the arm chair, catty corner to her. Mrs. Martinelli looked at Vincent who had made himself comfortable in the armchair nearest Peggy. He jumped to his feet and let his mother sit there as he went and brought back a dining room chair. “Thank you, my darling. Can you also go and get the pitchers of iced tea and lemonade from the fridge with the tray and the glasses?” She looked at Peggy and Angie and said, “Did yas, eat? Are you hungry?”

“We did just eat a pretty big breakfast,” Peggy said, lightly patting her stomach, remembering the spinach and ricotta omelet Angie had made after their passionate session of lovemaking, laying about laughing and just being together, had ended and they had to get ready for dinner with the family.

“They feed you pretty well over there, huh?” Mrs. Martinelli asked.

“Pretty, well…” Angie said, wanting to squeeze Peggy’s thigh, but keeping her hands in her lap in front of her.

“Powdered eggs, huh?” Mr. Martinelli said.

“Sometimes, Pop, not all the time.”

“They should let Ma cook over there,” Vincent said, as he came back with both pitchers of lemonade and iced tea on a tray with a set of glasses.

“They’d all be as big as balloons. Ba-boom!” Mr. Martinelli said, as he indicated, with his hands wide apart, how big presumably their waist sizes would be, then he took one of the glasses and the pitcher of iced tea and poured a glass of it for his mother who had been silently pointing to it.

“Ange!” Mrs. Martinelli, scolded.

Peggy laughed, she could see where Angie got her humor from and she knew it was still early, but she was falling in love with Angie’s family. Even her grandmother didn’t seem so bad to her, maybe a little hard of hearing and because of that she misunderstood things, but not terrible. However, she would tread lightly there, since she had a granny that was like that as well. Lovely to all the strangers, but bitingly acerbic when they were gone.

“What, ‘Ange!’?! You cook for an Army and your cooking is magnifico, they wouldn’t be able to stop eating.” He gave the glass to his mother and made sure she had it secure in both hands.

“Grazie,” Grandma Martinelli said, being careful not to spill it.

“Prego,” he said, before he turned his attention to Peggy. “Peggy, some iced tea or-?”

“Or would you prefer _hot_ tea?” Mrs. Martinelli interjected quickly. “We have some from the man in Chinatown, Angie brings it when she comes.”

“Oh, no, the iced tea looks lovely, I’ll have some of that, thank you.”

“Angie, sweetheart, what’ll it be?” Her mother asked, she was a little nervous, Angie was quieter than she normally would be and she hoped she wasn’t working herself up into a state inside her head.

Her eyes grew wide, she lowered her voice and said, “A scotch and soda, hold the soda,” she gestured with her hands how much scotch she would like to have in the glass. “Like this much,” she measured about the size of the glass, looking over to make sure her grandmother hadn’t heard. When her grandmother looked up, she sat up and said loudly, “Half lemonade, half ice-tea,” she brought her hands in a little to indicate half.

Vinny and Mr. Martinelli were laughing at the scene that Angie just did, and Peggy tried to keep a straight face. She looked up and saw Mrs. Martinelli struggling to keep her composure and then she started to lose it, finally, letting out a quick laugh that she tried to cover up as a cough. It was just so funny the way Angie said that about the scotch and then quickly pivoted to her real drink order when her grandmother had tuned in. Angie kept a straight face, not even a hint of laughter on it.

“Que cosa?” Grandma Martinelli asked. “What’s so funny?”

Angie leaned over and said, “I dunno, Grandma,” she made a rocking motion with her hand on her head, “sono ubriachi.” She said, pointing to her family.

“From iced tea?” she leaned in to smell her glass. “He wouldn’t give me any rum in it earlier.”

“No, Ma, she’s just kidding,” Mr. Martinelli said, rolling his eyes.

“What?”

“Sta scherzando!” he said, louder.

“Oh, jokes, always with the jokes, this family,” she shrugged, made a dismissive motion with her hand and drank some more tea.

“It beats banging your head against the wall,” Mrs. Martinelli said, from the side of her mouth to Peggy and ended with a wink.

“Lucy, what’ll you have, my darling?” Mr. Martinelli asked, smiling at his wife. “An Angie special, or what?”

“Yeah, give me a mezz’e’mezz.”

“Vin?”

“Yeah, an ‘Angie’, Pop, thanks,” he said, as his father handed the one for Mrs. Martinelli to him to give to her and then poured another.

They settled in with their drinks and Mrs. Martinelli broke the silence that had fallen.

“So, Peggy, the phone company, they treat you right there?”

Peggy hedged a little and Mrs. Martinelli spotted it right away.

“Ah, ah, ah,” she said, waggling her finger. “I can see they don’t,” She was pointing at Peggy. “You don’t have to say anything, I can see it in your face. Mostly fathead men who don’t value you because you’re a women, no?”

Peggy was amazed that Angie’s mother understood the situation so well, she covered up her shocked feeling though.

“A little,” she lied and didn’t look Angie’s way when she heard a snort coming from her.

“You see?” Mr. Martinelli said, pointing to his wife. “She knows, she _always_ knows.”

“Angelo,” Grandma Martinelli said, handing her glass to him.

“More, Ma?” He asked loudly.

“No,” she said sharply and looking at him like he just said she should die. “Devo fare pipì.” She said, thinking she had lowered her voice to a whisper, but everyone heard it. Peggy looked into her glass and tried not to laugh. She saw Angie out of the corner of her eye putting her head in her hand.

When Mr. Martinelli got up to bring his mother to the powder room, he said, “Don’t ask anything important, Lu. And don’t you say anything funny, Ange. C’mon, Ma,” He said, leading his mother towards the back of his house. With Grandma Martinelli’s back turned, Peggy reached down and patted Angie’s leg.

“I’m sorry, Peggy, she thought she was whispering,” Mrs. Martinelli, said. “She’s hard of hearing.”

“From yelling at the world all those years,” Angie said, under her breath. “They should have recruited her for the war.” Angie tilted her head towards the direction of the powder room. “That woman could have killed Hitler with one nagging session. One,” She put her index finger up to highlight what she was saying. “The war would have been over before it started.” She made her face a perfect imitation of her grandmother’s and said in, best nagging, broken English voice she had, “‘Adolfo, when you gonna settle down? All these men you keep bringing home all hours of the night, what are you? Finocchio? You’re going places, you, with that brain of yours. And look at you, such a handsome man with that haircut and mustache that looks like your barber got even with you.’ One minute of that: Boom! Cyanide pill. Dead. No war. Fin.” She gestured with her hand in a final motion, then shrugged and sipped her drink.

Peggy tried not to laugh at that but Vinny almost spitting his iced tea back into his glass and then laughing heartily was making it hard.

“Oh Gesu, Angie,” Her mother said suddenly in an astonished voice. “If you called me up on the phone and did that voice, I wouldn’t know it wasn’t her,” she narrowed her eyes and pointed at her daughter. “And don’t you get any ideas, you!”

Everyone laughed again at the possibilities.

Peggy waited until the laughter died down, “No, please, please don’t apologize for anything. I’m having a wonderful time,” Peggy said, smiling and biting the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing out loud, Angie and her family had license to make fun of and laugh at Mr. Martinelli’s mother but Peggy was still a stranger and wouldn’t chance that.

“Yeah? You’re not just being nice now?” Mrs. Martinelli, asked.

“No, this is the most fun I’ve had…well, in a long time,” Peggy went quiet and looked at Angie. “Besides being with Angie, of course.”

Mrs. Martinelli smiled widely, she was genuinely happy that Angie had found someone who had a good head on her shoulders and who liked her as much as her family did.

“Peggy,” she said, like she was remembering something. “You want anything, darling? Some finger foods? Vin! Be a dear and go get the cheese and cracker tray that I made up. Just a little something,” she said, dismissively like it was nothing. “If you don’t want, you don’t have to eat any.”

Peggy was going to refuse, but she _was_ a little peckish and she suspected dinner would probably be another couple of hours at least, because Angie said they usually ate around five and it was only two thirty right now.

Vincent went to the kitchen to retrieve the tray, “Don’t say anything funny, Ange!”

Peggy smiled at that. She was loving the fact that Angie’s family didn’t want to miss anything funny that she might say. She was also curious that they seemed to have named a drink after her, a half iced tea, half lemonade concoction that she was now curious to try. It all made her proud and she felt so lucky be with Angie, she put her hand on her thigh again and gave a firm squeeze.

Angie leaned a little closer into Peggy, not wanting to be too bold and freak her mother out, though, so she didn’t put her arm around her or kiss her on the cheek or lips like she was dying to. Even though her parents were more than accepting of who she was, she was still a good girl in their eyes and she didn’t want to be too ‘sex pot-ish’ like her mother would say. She wouldn’t even have done anything like that if she was with a man. There was one time that Vinny tried that with one of his girlfriends and their mother shot him such a look, he was lucky real daggers didn’t come out of her eyes.

Angie let out a content sigh, happy that her family seemed to really like Peggy and was very thankful for them and for her. Her grandmother, though, she could do without. Not that she’d wish her any harm, of course. Though, she had to admit, she wasn’t too bad now, but it was still early yet.

“Angie, I’m so sorry, your uncle, that scocciament’, forgive my French, Peggy, he called at one thirty and said he had to drop her off, he had to go do something and could we watch her. You know your father, he couldn’t say no. I would have hung right up on him!”

“Ma, no, don’t worry about it and work yourself up. I’ll be okay, hopefully she behaves.”

“Oh, she’ll be on her best behavior, until she gets a glass of red wine in her, then watch out!”

“Do you have grape juice?” Angie asked.

“What do you think?” She pointed at her head. “As soon as I knew she was coming I had Vinny go run out for some,” she said, as she pointed towards the door. Finally, she pointed towards the kitchen, “The green bottle has that in it, so you gotta pretend it’s strong, so she’s fooled.”

Peggy smiled wider, she also felt happy to be in the presence of these very animated people. She had seen Angie talk with her hands, but this was really a masterclass. While her own family wasn’t the most reserved in Britain, get togethers like this were decidedly more reserved for them. It also reminded her of being in Italy during the war, which besides some of the awful casualties the SSR had towards the end, it had been a pretty good time before that.

Vincent came back into the room with the “cheese and cracker tray”, which was a proper Italian antipasto tray and as such, it was huge. Peggy remembered those from her time in Italy too and her mouth started to water. She missed these types of trays. It had everything, olives, figs, marinated mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, vegetables (giardiniera) artichoke hearts, grapes, fresh and smoked mozzarella, provolone, prosciutto, capicola, two kinds of salami and something she thought looked like stilton, but she wasn’t sure. And of course, different types of crackers dotted around the tray.  
“That is beautiful,” she said, reverently. Her eyes growing big.

“Thank you,” Mrs. Martinelli smiled proudly and Angie could swear she saw her mother blush slightly. She smiled as she realized that she was right, her mother, as expected, was being charmed by Peggy and she realized that despite her grandmother showing up, this was turning out to be a great visit.

Just then the doorbell rang.

“Ma che cosa? Who could that be?” Mrs. Martinelli said, puzzled. Then it dawned on her and she clapped her hands together in a praying motion, looking up at the ceiling. “Pray to God that’s your uncle, coming back to pick up his mother. I’ll give him some antipast’, of course, I’m not a monster.” She waited a couple of beats, “Then I’ll kick them both out on their ear.” Vincent and Angie laughed and Peggy smiled and looked down at the ground. Vincent got up to go answer the door.

“Eh, Vin-nay!” Louie yelled when the door was opened.

“Oh God, why is he here?” Mrs. Martinelli said, dejectedly, like there was something wrong with the balance of the universe and it was all conspiring against her.

Peggy had felt Angie stiffen and she put her hand on her thigh to comfort her. Obviously, this was someone both of these women did not like.

“Louie,” Vinny said, puzzled. “Why are you here?”

“I heard your grandmother was here, I haven’t seen her in a while and I figured I’d stop by.”

Mrs. Martinelli put her hand in her head as Angie did before. Angie just sat stock still, not looking towards the door.

“Louie, what the he…what are you doing here?” Mr. Martinelli said, coming into the living room with his mother on his arm. He was looking at his wife and daughter who were now not as jovial looking as when he had left them.

“He came to see your mother,” Mrs. Martinelli said, looking deadly serious, like she would never smile again in her life. “He missed her; he hasn’t seen her in a long time.”

Mr. Martinelli lowered his voice, “So he comes all the way to Queens from Brooklyn to see my old, deaf mother who lives in Brooklyn?”

“Angelo, don’t say anything…let him have antipast’ and then…” she thumbed quickly, indicating he’d have to leave.

“Hi Angie!” Louie said, over enthusiastically and came into the living room. He walked over to her, standing in front of her across from the coffee table, thinking she would get up and embrace him, when she didn’t, he greeted Mrs. Martinelli with a handshake that felt to her like she was shaking a limp fish. Peggy noticed her wiping her hand covertly on her lap as he addressed Peggy. “And who is this pin-up girl? Rita Hayworth?” He wiggled his eyebrows at Angie and Vinny and tried to pass in front of Mrs. Martinelli to get closer to Peggy. Mrs. Martinelli effectively blocked his path with her leg and he just stood there, waiting to be introduced as he held his hand out to her.

Angie sighed, “Louie, this is my friend, Peggy, Peggy, this is Louie.”

“Vincent’s friend,” he added. “Nice to meet you, Peggy. Pretty Peggy, Pretty, Pretty, Peggy,” he said, in awe as he shook her hand a little too long. Angie quickly put some things on a small plate and stood up to him, shoving the plate towards him.

“Antipasto, there _Lou_?”

“Thanks, I’d love some, Angie, mio bella” He accepted it, gratefully.

Peggy stood there, thankful that the handshake had ended, but now her hand was wet and she was wanting desperately to wipe it on something. Mrs. Martinelli held out a cloth napkin to her on the sly and she accepted it gratefully, trying not to be noticed, she sat back down on the couch.

Louie looked around for a place to sit. Vincent, who was mortified that Louie was here, saw what he was looking for and gave up his chair and went to go get another one.

Angie sat back down when Louie was finally seated and Peggy could feel the tension coming from her in waves. She wished she could touch her to soothe her anger in some way, so that they could go back to having the good time they were before.

Grandma Martinelli, who was giving her plate back to Angie for some more, looked up and saw Louie sitting in front of her, and staring.

“Chi è lui?” she asked her son loud enough for everyone to hear, when she again thought she was whispering.

“That’s Louie, Ma, from the old neighborhood!”

“Oh, yes, Louis,” she said, folding her hands in front of her.

“Hi Grandma M!”

“Why is he here?” she asked, again thinking she was being quiet.

“He came to see you, Ma!” Mrs. Martinelli said, loudly.

“Huh?”

Her son leaned over to her and said, “He came to see you!””

“Ma perché?” she said, loudly again, and a little incredulously with a shrug. “Non lo conosco.” She finished with her right palm turned up.

Angie had to laugh at that, but just a quick one, she handed her grandmother her now filled plate back.

Her son shrugged and patted her on the knee, “Mangia, Ma!”

She shrugged again and started to eat her snacks.

“Peggy, please, help yourself, _invited_ guests should have gone first…but we’ll overlook that…”

“This all looks so delicious…I really don’t know where to start,” She said, as she took a plate and a fork and started to pick the items that she liked the most.

“Speaking of _delicious_ …” Louie said, with a snort and lightly punched Vinny’s thigh, jutting his head towards Peggy. “Huh?”

Angie went even stiffer and Peggy wished she could do something, but it wasn’t her house, and she didn’t want to cause a scene.

“Angie, dearest,” Peggy said, trying to get through to her by getting her to concentrate on something else. “Would you like me to make you a plate?”

Angie was about two seconds away from vaulting over the coffee table, picking Louie up by the scruff of his neck and booting him out the door. If she had to take her grandmother, she could manage it, but this freeloading, slimy, smarmy bastard she couldn’t stomach. Peggy’s hand on her knee stopped her murderous thoughts for a second and she finally heard her question, or rather, she had surmised there was a question just asked of her.

“I’m sorry?”

The look in Angie’s eyes made Peggy a little scared, Peggy Carter who routinely stared down death, defeated it with nothing more than a backwards glance and a smirk as she stepped over it and went on to face the next grim reaper. “Would you like me to make you a plate?” She said, in the most non-irritating way she could, trying to will Angie back from the brink.

She saw as Angie tried to process the words she was saying and said helpfully, “The mushrooms and olives look so plump and fresh, how about some of those?”

There was a snort heard from Louie and Peggy cursed him in her mind; she could tell, she had just about been able to get through to Angie. She hoped she hadn’t heard Louie’s juvenile attempts at deriving something sexual out of anything she had said.

Mrs. Martinelli saw the way Peggy was masterfully walking Angie back from losing her cool and silently thanked her. She was surprised in fact, that Angie hadn’t already gone off. Louie had particularly irked Angie, well everyone, and there was another such meeting with one of Vinny’s friends, that had gone wrong when Louie showed up. After an hour of Angie trying to keep her cool, she had finally gone apoplectic and threw him out. She saved Mrs. Martinelli a night of grief for doing just that very thing because Mr. Martinelli would have been upset that she let herself get that mad. She had come to everyone’s rescue that night, as a matter of fact, since the men in the family never wanted to make waves and weren’t going to do anything. 

“Angie, did you tell Peggy that you hold the record for most homers in the 6th grade?” Louie asked. “She also had the most strike outs that year, had the best arm in the city practically.” He said, trying to hurt her in some way, but little did he know, Peggy loved to hear that about Angie.

Apparently so did her father, “She sure did. Clocked her one time at seventy, in the sixth grade, seventy miles an hour…and a curve so deadly, oh Madonna mio!” He shook his head, still in awe. “You’d think it was way outside,” he held his hand away from his plate to illustrate, “Then,” he said and arced it back in quickly and on the corner of the plate. “Bip, you’re out! Right Ange?” He winked at her.

The corner of her mouth rose up in a smile, but her eyes were sad.

“What happened?” Louie asked, even though he knew what happened.

“Louie…” Vinny warned.

Mrs. Martinelli made a decision and got up, “Vin, can you help me with something in the kitchen?” she asked, indicating that he should follow her.

“Yeah, Ma,” he said, sensing she really didn’t need any help in the kitchen and that he was about to catch an earful.

“Water under the bridge,” Mr. Martinelli waved his hand off. “Peggy, lemme tell you about this girl over here, she could punt a football…a mile it would go!”

When Mrs. Martinelli looked back, Peggy was listening with great pride to Mr. Martinelli’s story while also trying to engage Angie, who was starting to come around. She smiled, then as she passed by her husband, she caught his and smiled at him, he smiled back. Even though he didn’t like to make waves, she was grateful that he knew how to handle jerks like Louie.

After mother and son were in the kitchen she said, “Vinny, you are my son and I love you, but so help me, if you don’t make that gavone disappear-”

“Ma, I know, Ma, you don’t have to say, I’ll get him to go. I didn’t invite him here I swear!”

“How did he know your grandmother was coming?”

“I mighta told him she w…no, wait, I didn’t know she was coming. I don’t know…” He looked thoroughly puzzled at that.

Mrs. Martinelli had a feeling about what had happened but didn’t want to make a big deal. For now.

“But you told him _Peggy_ would be here?” she narrowed her eyes at him.

“Well, he wanted me to go out to Canarsie with him today and I told him no, we had company coming. I didn’t say who. I’m sorry, Ma, I didn’t invite him. Really.”

“That’s okay, mio figlio,” she said, as she side hugged him. Then she looked at him dead seriously. “You gotta make him disappear before dinner, Vinny, I mean it. I don’t want anything ruining today for your sister and Peggy, yeah?”

“I will, I promise, Ma. As soon as he’s done eating, we’re gone.”

Mrs. Martinelli nodded her approval at that, then looked like she just remembered something and lowered her voice as she leaned in closer to Vinny. “My God, Vin, did you think she was going to be that pretty?”

Vinny smiled proudly, “Angie really knows how to pick, ‘em,” he said, then looked thoughtfully. “I wonder if this Peggy has a sister,” he said, then animatedly wiggled his eyebrows at his mother.

“You wish,” His mother said, with a playful shove. “But seriously, Vin. He eats and then he goes. I don’t want to have to do a murder today.”

Vinny laughed like his mother was kidding, but the look on her face told him she might not be, as she gave him more iced tea and lemonade to bring out and refill the pitchers. She stayed behind to finish the potatoes.

After a little while, Peggy came into the kitchen with the empty refill bottles.  
“Oh, Peggy, thank you so much. Just put those in the sink, darling. I’ll rinse them in a minute. You didn’t have to do that, did my lazy son give those to you?”  
“No, I asked to bring them here, and don’t worry, let me rinse these. I don’t mind doing some work. You’ve done a lot, by the looks of it,” she said, as she looked around to the various states of meal preparation she saw around the table and counters. She saw cauliflower, peeled carrots and potatoes, something that looked like a swede, and a standing rib roast, that was seasoned and herbed and resting on the counter before it was ready to roast. She put her hand over her heart after she put the bottles in the sink. A real English roast dinner and if the Apple Crostata was any indication, this was going to be one of the best things she’d ever eaten in a long time.

“I wanted to compliment you on the antipasto, Mrs. Martinelli,” Peggy said, turning around and watching her put the peeled potatoes into a pot. “Here let me help you…and Angie shared some of your Apple Crostata with me. It was wonderful…” she said reverently as she put the rest of the potatoes in the pot and took them over to the sink to rinse before filling them up.

“Thank you, Peggy, I’m so glad you got to try my Crostata, it’s one of our favorites,” Mrs. Martinelli said, very happy that Peggy liked her food. 

“Are these to be mashed?” Peggy asked, hoping they weren’t, she loved them roasted.

“No, dear,” Mrs. Martinelli said, impressed by Peggy’s willingness to jump in and help. “I’m going to parboil them for about fifteen minutes, give ‘em a good shake, and they’ll be roasted.”

Peggy closed her eyes at the sink and thanked the heavens for this family. Just then Angie walked in.

“Ma, che cosa succede?” She said, dramatically. “You got Peggy working as your understudy now? I thought that was my job?!”

Mrs. Martinelli shrugged, as she cut up the rutabaga she just peeled, “What? She wanted to help!”

“Yes, Angie, it’s all my doing, dear. I wanted to help and learn from such a great cook.”

Angie pinched the bridge of her nose, “Oh no, it’s started…I’ve lost another one…to Ma…”

Peggy smiled, she was a little surprised that Angie was so forward about she and Peggy being an item, only because she didn’t know how Mrs. Martinelli would react, especially with Grandma Martinelli being in the other room.

“Oh, you!” Mrs. Martinelli laughed and swatted Angie playfully on her backside. “How did I raise such a fresh girl?! Go get me a pot to put these in,” she said, pointing to some of the cut up rutabaga she had done.

“How big?” Angie asked.

Mrs. Martinelli narrowed her eyes as she thought, “Old potato pot,” she said and went back to cutting up the rutabaga.

Peggy looked at Angie questioningly, as that wasn’t really a size.

“Ma’s got her own way to let you know what pot or pan she wants,” Angie said, as she bent down to get the pot her mother wanted from one of the low cupboards. “This one,” she brought it out and held it up to Peggy. “We used to use for boiled potatoes.”

“But then the handle went all, eh,” Mrs. Martinelli said and tilted her hand to indicate that it bent.

“And now we use it for lighter things,” Angie shrugged and brought her mother the pot.

“Angie, se n'è andato?” Mrs. Martinelli said in a low voice, pointing to the kitchen door.

“Who?”

“Dio mio!” Mrs. Martinelli said, dropping her arms down to the table. “Tu sai chi!”

“Oh, him.”

“Yeah, _him_ ,” Mrs. Martinelli said, looking at Peggy as if to say, ‘who else?’.

“No, he’s devouring half of the antipast’; you’d think he never eaten before.”

“Could be true, his mother burns water.”

“Not with that backside,” Angie said, dismissively and folded her arms.

“He’s gotta keep what little he has of his brains well padded,” Mrs. Martinelli said, in his defense.

“Che cervelli?! That one has two organs a stomach and-”

“Don’t you say it! We have company!” her mother pointed at Peggy but she was already laughing.

“U cazzo!” Angie said, while holding her palm up, fingers pinched together and moving it back and forth. “U cazzo!” Just then her grandmother walked into the kitchen.

Peggy’s eyes got huge.

“Who?!” Grandma Martinelli said, loudly.

Angie pivoted on her heel and turned away. Mrs. Martinelli looked mortified, then eyerolled as she realized her mother-in-law had not really heard what Angie had said, she thought she was talking about a person.

“No one, Ma,” she said, shaking her head. “Did you need something?”

“I wanted to see if you needed me to finish le patate.”

“No, thank you, Ma. Peggy helped me with them.”

“Oh, questa ragazza?” she said, pointing at Peggy.

“Yes,” Peggy said and smiled at her.

“That’s nice,” Grandma Martinelli said and then asked Peggy, “Are you Vinny’s girl?”

Peggy was frozen for a moment; she didn’t know how to answer that and Angie looked up at the ceiling. She turned around and said, “No, Grandma, she’s my friend, we live in the same building.”

“Yeah, but she _could_ be Vinny’s girl, no?”

“Ma,” Mrs. Martinelli said, trying not to lose her temper. “Your days as a matchmaker are over, remember?”

“Cosa perchè?”

“What do you mean why?! You remember that green-grocer you matched up with Crazy Mary around the corner in Flatbush?”

“No!” Grandma Martinelli said, quickly. Then played a little coy. “Non so di cosa stai parlando.”

“No, you wouldn’t know what I’m talking about, because I told you she was crazy and you shouldn’t go butting in where you didn’t belong! Her name had ‘Crazy’ in it for God’s sake!”

Grandma Martinelli shrugged and looked away.

“This one,” Mrs. Martinelli said to Peggy, and pointed to her mother-in-law with the knife. “She gets these two together. Mr. Steinberg, he was a nice, older man. Quiet. Polite. Didn’t bother no one. She puts these two together and Boom! World War II every night above our heads!”

Peggy was rapt by the story and could see there was more of it to come.

“Tu esageri! It wasn’t nothin’.”

“ _I exaggerate_?! Go ask your son!” Mrs. Martinelli looked at Peggy and explained. “He had to get up every morning for work at five o’clock and couldn’t get to bed until two from all the screaming and foot stomping upstairs!”

“Non è colpa mia…” Her mother-in-law said and shrugged again.

“No, it’s never your fault…” Mrs. Martinelli looked back at her mother-in-law and narrowed her eyes. “ _You_ as the landlady washed your hands of it!” She made a hand washing motion. “Never once did you go upstairs and tell them that if they didn’t stop, they would be out on their ear at the end of the month. No! You had a buffer in between, why would you care? Just as long as you were-”

“Grandma,” Angie finally could see her mother had had it and was about to really go off on her, so she decided, mercifully for everyone, to step in. “Why don’t we go listen to some music?”

“Musica? Che tipo?”

“I don’t know, let’s go see what we got in the parlor, okay?”

Grandma Martinelli shrugged, “I don’t want to listen to any of that music your father and Vinny listen to!”

“What’s that?”

“Ange, don’t ask…” Mrs. Martinelli warned. “Just leave it.”

“Huh?” Grandma Martinelli asked Angie.

“Nothing, Grandma, come on, we’ll go and see what’s out there,” she said, offering her grandmother her arm so she could lead her into the parlor.

“I don’t want to listen to that Jazz nero!” she said, and Angie’s shoulders slumped, relaxing the arm she was extending to her grandmother. She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself.

“Ma! Stop being so mean!”

“She’d sooner cut off her nose to spite her face, Ma,” Angie said, just loud enough for her mother and Peggy to hear.

“What?” her grandmother asked her.

“I _said_ , ‘Your hair nicely frames your face, Grandma!”

“Oh, thank you, I got it cut last week.”

Peggy had to turn around to laugh, and Mrs. Martinelli had to pretend she was coughing into her sleeve.

“Oh Angie, you’re a treasure,” her mother said with a big smile on her face. Then turned serious, “I can’t wait till your fakakta uncle finishes whatever he’s up to and comes and collects her…Peggy wait,” Mrs. Martinelli said, as Peggy was getting ready to follow Angie and her grandmother out to the parlor.

Angie looked back and gave Peggy a look of encouragement, then left through the swinging door with her grandmother.

Mrs. Martinelli pushed the chair catty corner to her out a little, “Come sit, dear. Don’t worry, I don’t bite,” she said, with a smile.

“Thank you,” Peggy said, pulling the chair out more and sitting down. “Can I help you?”

“No, thank you, I’m almost done with this. But you could cut up the cauliflower if you’d like,” Mrs. Martinelli got up and got Peggy a pairing knife, cutting board and the head of cauliflower. “Just cut them into pieces, not too big, not too small, okay?”

“Got it.”

“How long you been at the phone company, Peggy?”

“About a year and a half.”

“Is that how long you been in New York?”

“This time, yes. I was here twice before,” Peggy said, as she cut off the leaves at the bottom of the cauliflower.

“And your mother and father don’t mind you all the way over here?”

Peggy thought of how to answer that, her parents knew what she did and while they weren’t thrilled about it, they understood that she was helping the world with her work. Or at least she was trying to.

“They understand why I’m here and I write them every chance I get, complete with photos. Call at least once a month…”

Mrs. Martinelli liked that answer, “That’s nice, it’s the sign of a good daughter.” She smiled at Peggy and went quiet as she watched her cut the cauliflower. She was adequate at it, but she could tell, she wasn’t the one that would be doing the bulk of the cooking in the relationship.

“I try not to butt into my children’s lives, you understand?” she asked and looked at Peggy who stopped cutting and looked up at her.

Peggy couldn’t read her and her heartbeat harder at what she was about to say. Finally, she nodded and Mrs. Martinelli continued.

“But Angie is my only daughter and she’s one of two out of four children that I have left in this world, may Pat and Pete rest in peace.”

“May they rest in peace,” Peggy said, automatically.

Mrs. Martinelli nodded, she appreciated Peggy saying that.

“I’m not going to be like my mother-in-law and give ultimatums and scare the living daylights out of you, I just wanted you to know, that she is the apple of her parent’s eyes. That’s all.”

Peggy, who had put down the knife and cauliflower as Mrs. Martinelli was speaking, put her hand over the older woman’s and looked straight into her eyes.

Brown eyes looked into brown eyes, both looking to convey understanding, not judgement or fear of being judged. “I cannot promise the future, Mrs. Martinelli, but what I can promise is that I will love, comfort and protect Angie with everything that I am and will be, to the best of my ability.”

Mrs. Martinelli smiled and patted the hand that was over hers.

“That’s all I wanted to hear, _Agent Carter_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooh, a cliff hanger! Scandalous! :-O


	8. Oh How I Need

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We now jump ahead thirty years when Angie is thinking about how it all went wrong back in '46...I kid! Sorry, my little dumb joke. 
> 
> I'm not about posting spoilers, you'll just have to read what happens. ;-)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is dedicated to you all, for putting up with that cliffhanger. I'm really sorry I did it, but ya know, not really, so there. =P But honestly, I really appreciate that you're reading this story and liking it, so from the the bottom of my cold, black heart, I thank you! (Okay, so I like to pretend I'm maudlin. Who cares? So what?!)

“That’s all I wanted to hear, _Agent Carter_ ,” Mrs. Martinelli smiled knowingly.

Peggy’s heart skipped three beats and dropped and her survival training kicked in, she waited for the grip of Mrs. Martinelli to get stronger or for her to go for the knife but she remained calm, even though her heart was in her stomach and her head was going through a million different reasons why Mrs. Martinelli would know what she was, who she was.

“I can see about a million different things going on inside your head, Peggy,” Mrs. Martinelli said, with a sweet smile that Peggy hoped wouldn’t turn foul. She really liked this woman and didn’t want to have to get tough with her. “You’re wondering how I know? Am I right?”

Peggy nodded slowly; she was still too dumbfounded to form words right now.

Mrs. Martinelli patted Peggy’s hand that was still in hers, “I thought I recognized the name when Angie first told me about you, but I dismissed it. Peggy is a common name, so is Carter, so I thought maybe it was a coincidence. But then I remembered,” she narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger at the ceiling. “My son, Pat, would talk about a Peggy Carter that he met in New York in late ’42 or early ‘43…”

Peggy narrowed her eyes and looked away, trying to place the meeting, she usually had a very good memory of people and would have remembered meeting a Pat Martinelli. She wracked her brain trying to think of it.

“You would have known him as Giovanni Colombo,” Mrs. Martinelli added helpfully; pulling a photo out of her pocket that she had slipped in there before Peggy had come into the kitchen. “Anyway, he mentioned this Peggy a few times, here or there, in an offhand way. But a mother knows…”

Peggy looked at the photo and smiled, remembering him and some of the laughs they had, “John…yes…I knew John…”

Mrs. Martinelli smiled and squeezed Peggy’s hand again, “I’m so glad.”

“But his name-”

“He was undercover and about to be attached to an outfit in the British Army, to help them with counterintelligence to thwart the Nazis in Italy.”

“The eighth Army under General Montgomery,” Peggy said, remembering what he told her about that, though, he had left out the counterintelligence bit.

“That’s the one,” Mrs. Martinelli said, proudly. “He was very impressed by you when he met you.”

“As I was of him,” Peggy said, truthfully. John Colombo was a big bear of a guy, but so bright, quick witted and full of life, that it was hard not to have a bit of a crush on him, but he said he had a girlfriend and Peggy was recently back from rescuing Dr. Erskine in Germany, and still pining for Gen.

“He had a girlfriend then, though and he was head over heels in love,” Mrs. Martinelli’s demeanor turned a little sour and she said, “But, she, unfortunately, wasn’t the girl he thought she was,” she shrugged and brightened up a little. “That’s life, nothing lasts forever sometimes.”

“Can I ask a question?”

“Yes, absolutely,” Mrs. Martinelli said.

“How did you know I was an Agent, through Pat?”

Mrs. Martinelli shook her head, “No, he just told me your name,” she moved closer and looked at the door, trying to hear if anyone was coming. When she was satisfied, she looked back at Peggy and lowered her voice. “I have a cousin in the SSR.”

Peggy’s eyes grew wide.

“And he told you about me?”

Mrs. Martinelli shook her head again, “You Agents are secretive, you think I could get that out of him? No, when you said you worked for the phone company, I put two and two together. You confirmed it just before, with which location you work in.”

“Oh,” Peggy said.

“My cousin, Francesco, Frankie we call him, he works out of the Chinatown office, it’s supposed to be an insurance company, he and I are really close, like brother and sister.” She put her index and middle fingers together to illustrate how close they were. “He’s a good egg, you know?”

“I know of those type of people,” Peggy said, with a smile and another squeeze of Mrs. Martinelli’s hand.

“Yeah?”

“Yes, I could tell, right away, over the phone in fact, that you were a ‘good egg’,” she winked at Mrs. Martinelli who smiled and returned the squeeze.

“Can you imagine how small our world is? You meet Pat all those years ago and now you meet Angie?” Mrs. Martinelli shook her head in disbelief.

“It’s _so_ small,” Peggy agreed, her heart beating a little harder because Mrs. Martinelli was referencing her relationship with Angie and also because her face took on another serious look.

“Angie doesn’t know about you yet, huh?” She asked.

Peggy looked a little guilty at that and shook her head, “I haven’t been able to tell her yet, not in a way that would make sense to her, or wouldn’t make her run for the hills,” Peggy let out nervous laugh.

Mrs. Martinelli nodded her head with understanding and patted Peggy’s hand, “Well, don’t you worry, darling, your secret is safe with me. You tell her when you feel the time is right. I would just make sure you at least say _something_ , the odd hours could make her think there’s someone on the side, no? And the weird bruises…” Mrs. Martinelli saw the faint bruise on Peggy’s forehead that was expertly make-upped, but not so expertly for an eagle-eyed Italian mother to be fooled by.

Peggy wasn’t sure she should reveal the real reason for _that_ particular bruise, Mrs. Martinelli might ban her from never seeing Angie again. The doughy face of _Rodger_ , with tobacco juice dribbling down his chin and Angie hanging off of his arm as Peggy clocked him in the family jewels had popped into her head and she shuddered inwardly. Instead she said, “I’ve been wanting to tell her for the last couple of days, well, since shortly after I met her really. I promise, I will tell her soon.”

“I know you will, dear,” she patted her hand again, “You know, I’m the only one who knows about Frankie, not even his family know. They think he’s an insurance agent. Which is clever, because he’s still an _agent_ ,” Mrs. Martinelli said with a wink. “You met Pat over in Italy too, didn’t you?”

“Yes, by then he had broken up with-”

“Lisa, yeah, he told me…” Peggy stiffened a little at that, she knew what was coming. “And was disappointed, he said, he was finally free and the one woman he would have asked on a date, was dating Captain America, of all people.”

“I was sorry to turn him down, but-”

“Oh, don’t be, dear,” Mrs. Martinelli put her hand on Peggy’s upper arm. “Honestly, I feel in some small way, Pat lead you to Angie, ya know?”

“It does make me believe in fate,” Peggy said, honestly.

“Or Kismet, eh?”

“Exactly,” Peggy said, nodding.

“Well, Peggy,” Mrs. Martinelli said, with some finality. “Angie’s gonna wonder how long this list of rules I’m reading you is right now and honestly dear, I only have one. Just don’t-”

“Hurt her,” Peggy finished the sentence.

“Well…hurt, how can you not hurt her sometimes? You’re living lives, not fantasies. And, in life, people get hurt. You do know love might not be forever, right?”

“But-”

Mrs. Martinelli waved her off, “I know, I know, you’re already planning the forevers already. But, Peggy, don’t go making promises you can’t keep. You don’t know what the future holds.”

Peggy wanted to protest with all of her might, but Mrs. Martinelli was making so much sense. But no, she wouldn’t think like that. Angie was all that she wanted and more, she couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather be with.

“I’m pretty sure I know what I want, Mrs. Martinelli.” She said with confidence and conviction.

Mrs. Martinelli smiled widely and leaned in to kiss Peggy on the cheek.

“Good, my sweet. That’s good enough for me, because I trust your judgement,” She cupped the side of the cheek she just kissed and then rubbed the spot with her thumb. “Got some lipstick on you. My daughter and husband would start wondering,” she winked at Peggy and then laughed.

Just then there was a soft knock on the door.

“Yes?” Mrs. Martinelli asked.

“Is it okay to open the door, Lu?” Mr. Martinelli said, whispering.

“Yes, Ange,” she said. “We’re just cutting vegetables, what do you need?”

“I don’t want to give up a confidence, but Angie was a little worried.”

“Nothing to worry about here,” Mrs. Martinelli smiled into Peggy’s eyes. “Am I right Peggy?”

“Not a thing,” Peggy smiled back, grateful for this woman, this family. “We’re right as rain.”

“Good,” Mr. Martinelli said, with a smile. “Peggy, you might want to go rescue Angie,” he said, and tilted his head towards the parlor. “My mother is being an _unbelievable_ noodge.” He said with an animated eyeroll.

Peggy got up and put her chair back in.

“Oh, we can believe it alright,” Mrs. Martinelli said. “And Peggy,” she said before Peggy went out of the door. “Don’t let that old woman get to you either, you just say ‘yes, grandma’ to most of her nonsense and she’ll be your best friend.”

“Yeah,” her husband agreed. “And if she’s needling Angie about if she’s found a boyfriend yet, you just interrupt and ask her about her village in Sicily.”

“Oh, no! Not unless you want to stay over tonight, she’ll be going on about that until the cows come home.”

Peggy looked at them and said, “Thank you, both,” she smiled and then looked lovingly at Mrs. Martinelli. “Sei meravigliosa, e non potrei essere più felice di aver incontrato Angela, e per estensione la sua famiglia perfetta. Farò bene da lei.” She said and then blew a kiss to Mrs. Martinelli and went out the door, leaving them both open mouthed in surprise.

Mrs. Martinelli’s eyes narrowed, “I _knew_ she could understand Italian!”

“She’s something, eh Lu?”

“You have no idea, Ange,” she said, as she got up and hugged him.

“Eh! There are rooms that aren’t the kitchen for that you know!” Vinny said, coming into the kitchen and shielding his eyes.

“Tu, sei pazzo!” Mrs. Martinelli said, as she waved her hand in disgust at him.

“Pop, I’m gonna take Louie home in the scash, okay?”

“Thanks be to God,” Mrs. Martinelli said, as she looked toward the ceiling. “I wish you could drop your grandmother off with him, but two miracles in one day, that’d be hard.”

“I told him I’d take him to Artie’s, so don’t hold dinner for me, but I’ll be back for dessert.”

“Okay, sweetheart,” Mrs. Martinelli said, sadly. “You’ll miss my roast.”

“You’ll save me some, no?”

“I don’t know, you know your sister likes a good roast. And that Peggy, God bless her, I can just tell she’s not one of those, ‘I’ll just pick’, girls. Although, I don’t know where those two put it.”

“Oh, like you’re as big as a house, over here, magra!” Mr. Martinelli said, sarcastically.

“Hey!”

“Hey, Vin, speaking of Peggy…” Mr. Martinelli said, conspiratorially leaning in closer to his son. “You ever date someone that pretty?”

“Pop, come on! Meghan was pretty!”

“Oh, yeah, _her_ ,” Mrs. Martinelli said, narrowing her eyes. “She was one of those,” she screwed up her face and mimicked Meghan’s voice. “’ _I’ll just pick_.’” She went back to her own voice, “Pick…what pick? Pick your nose?”

Both men laughed at her spot-on mimicry of Meghan, even the face she made.

Mr. Martinelli hit his son on the arm, “No, but your sister got a good one, am I right?

“She really is something and so smart too; did you know she was in Italy during the war, Ma?” Vinny asked.

“She told me just now,” Mrs. Martinelli was dying to tell them that she also knew Pat, but she’d wait until Peggy wanted to tell that story. She was never a rat and she wasn’t going to start today.

“Hey, let’s get out there, I think Louie went into the parlor, Angie’s probably climbing a wall by now,” Vinny said.

“Oooh, go! Save her, Ange!” she shooed her husband and son out of the kitchen and looked at the food she was about to prepare in earnest and smiled.

*****

“So, Peggy, you got a boyfriend?” Louie asked and pulled on his collar.

“No, as a matter of fact, I don’t, but-”

“Yeah?” Louie cut Peggy off. “That’s too bad...”

Angie cut her eyes towards Peggy, she didn’t know what she was about to reveal there, but she knew Peggy wouldn’t have told the truth, especially not with her grandmother in the room. Still, she was disappointed in not hearing the biting remark she was about to make.

Louie continued, “…a hot dame like you.”

Angie was just about to get up and take him by the collar he kept pulling on but was saved by Vinny and her father.

“Hey, Louie, c’mon, let’s go!”

“Vin, here’s some money for you and this oobatz to use at Artie’s and if the scash needs gas.”

“Thanks, Pop, you don’t have to.”

“No, you take it, you’re about to miss your mother’s roast, so it’s the least we can do.”

“We could always stay you know, Vin,” Louie said, smarmily and looked at Peggy.

Mr. Martinelli took Louie by the arm and walked them both to the door, when they got to the porch, he lowered his voice and said to Louie, “Louie, I’m doing you a favor, _believe_ me…”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Mr. Martinelli said, hoping he was getting through to Louie that his wife would end his life if he didn’t leave here right now.

“She’s that bad, huh?”

‘Whatever you want to think that gets you out of here, Louie, you just think it.’ Mr. Martinelli thought, then said, “Have a good time, boys,” he waved them off the porch and watched as they got in the car.

He went back inside and listened as Angie was telling Peggy about her uncle Roberto who was a singer, he had a show that was coming to the Brooklyn Opera House and she was going to go to see him.

“We have a record of him singing Puccini’s ‘Nessun Dorma’. Would you like to listen to it?”

“Oh, I love that piece,” Peggy said and Mr. Martinelli smiled.

“It’s not that great,” he heard his mother say.

“Grandma, are you kidding? It’s beautiful!”

“I’ve heard better,” he heard her say and could picture the shrug that went with it. He could also picture his daughter trying to keep her cool but just barely.

“Grandma, it was a masterpiece and he dedicated it to Pat!”

Mr. Martinelli really didn’t want to have to yell at his mother, but if she…

“Empty words,” his mother said.

He practically ran into the parlor.

“Ma! What are you talking about?! You’re getting senile in your old age, you know that? Girls don’t listen to her,” He said, as he helped his mother up from the chair, a little against her will. “Ma, you come with me, eh? I’m gonna show you my begonias they’re coming in so nice. You don’t want to hear the music anyway, come on, let’s leave the girls to listen,” He said, making her walk with him. “C’mon, Ma, you probably have to use the little girl’s room.”

“Stop pulling, Angelo! I’m coming, I know when I’m not wanted!”

Angie took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, rolling her head on her shoulders.

“Ange, Peggy, I’m sorry, youse two have some peace and quiet together. Peggy, please, my apologies, don’t think we’re all like this,” he said, quietly and pointed to his mother who was walking without him out of the parlor.

“No, Mr. Martinelli, I beg of you. Please don’t think anything of it. I find you all perfectly charming and wonderful. You have been gracious hosts and if the antipasto was any indication, I know I’m going to love dinner. Thank you.”

He went to Peggy and took her hand. “You’re welcome, it’s the least we could do,” He kissed her hand. Then looked at his stressed-out daughter and said sadly, “Poor, Angie, this day was supposed to be special…”

Angie turned quickly to him, “Dad, no, _it is_. Honestly, thanks to you,” she went up to him and kissed his cheek. “I really appreciate you and Ma so much; you don’t _know_ how much.”

“We do, sweetheart,” He said and kissed her cheek in return, then said loudly to his mother, as he walked out of the parlor. “C’mon, Ma. _Begonias_!”

After he left, Peggy went to Angie and put her hand on her shoulder, just to let her know she was there for her.

Angie took in another deep breath and then let it out slowly, the touch was calming to her.

“I would love to hear that record, darling.”

Angie spun on her heel and caught Peggy up in a tight hug, at first Peggy was a little caught off guard and a little apprehensive being that they were in her parent’s house and there was no door on this room and her grandmother was in the next room but Peggy quickly came to her senses and returned Angie’s embrace.

“I don’t know, Peggy, I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t here and if it wasn’t for my Father and Vin taking those two away.”

“They’re gone, dearest, well…at least that Louie is, unfortunately your grandmother will still be at dinner.”

“But she probably won’t say a word, she behaves when my Dad’s around. She definitely gets under my skin on purpose.”

“I know, darling. I have a granny like that. Well had,” Peggy said, and kissed the side of Angie’s head. “Don’t let her get you down. I’m here and I will do my best to keep you from going down a dark path that you don’t want to travel. I love your parents and your brother…” She held Angie at arm’s length to look into her eyes. “I love you too,” Peggy smiled.

“Oh, yeah?” Angie said, with a wry smile.

Peggy nodded, “Just when I thought I couldn’t love you more, today happens and I see a wonderfully funny, deeply respected, loving daughter and my heart is even more yours.”

Angie’s eyebrows lifted and her smiled deepened, she leaned in for what was just supposed to be a sweet grateful kiss, but quickly deepened into something more until Mr. Martinelli yelling, “Ma! Don’t touch!” jolted them out of each other’s arms. Peggy tried to get a hold of her libido as Angie went into the other room to get their purses.

“Lipstick reapplication is a must,” Angie said, handing Peggy her purse and sitting on the sofa in the parlor. Peggy blinked a couple of times to get the thoughts of their lovemaking this morning out of her head. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, finally getting somewhat of a hold on her hormones and went to sit next to Angie to reapply her lipstick as well.

“Sorry, Peg, I got a little carried away.”

“Nothing to be sorry about, Angie dear, I was right there with you.”

“I know,” she smiled at her in sympathy. “That also goes for earlier too; I was about two point two seconds away from jumping over the coffee table and strangling Louie. I know I shouldn’t let myself get that way, but I get this red mist over my eyes and I can’t control it sometimes. I think it’s because that old lady out there is Sicilian; uncontrollable anger runs in my veins.”

“I get that way sometimes too, and none of my grandparents are Sicilian. You just have to tell yourself that you’re in control and that whatever someone is trying to get at you with, doesn’t matter,” Peggy said and rubbed Angie’s thigh. “We could work on some relaxation techniques together. Breathing, focus, being in the moment.”

Angie let out a chuckle, “If you don’t stop rubbing my thigh like that, English, we’ll be in some kinda _moment_ alright,” she said, her heartbeat starting to race with each rub and squeeze that Peggy was giving to her knee and now her thigh. Peggy’s hand froze as Angie continued, “Roast beef will not be on the menu for me, it will be a big old heaping helping of Peggy Carter and my parents would most certainly _not_ invite us back.”

Peggy lifted her hand off of Angie’s leg. At first, her touch was meant to soothe, but then she realized that she was squeezing and getting closer to Angie’s center with subsequent touches. It had become a reflex. She was a little embarrassed and looked down at her hands in her lap.

“I know, it’s getting kind of hard not to touch you like that when we’re alone, either,” Angie said, giving Peggy’s shoulder a sympathetic rub. Peggy turned to her and they stared at each other, smiling. Angie looked like she was leaning in for a kiss and then vaulted herself off the couch and up to the record player. “I don’t think we should start that, again Peg. I might never be able to stop.”

“I know…I just…” Peggy wrung her hands out in her lap and tried to practice what she preached about controlling her emotions and focus. She looked up and concentrated on what Angie was doing. “Is that the record you mentioned earlier?”  
“Nessun Dorma, yes.”

“And your uncle is the singer?”

Angie nodded, “My uncle Bobby, well Roberto. He’s a tenor.”

“Is he your father’s brother?”

“Mmhm,” Angie confirmed.

“And he dedicated this performance to your brother Pat?”

Angie nodded again, she was already feeling the emotions of the song and couldn’t really speak without wanting to cry.

“Do you mind if we listen to it?”

Angie put it on the record player, she switched the turntable on and then dropped the needle in place. She and Peggy went and sat on the sofa as the music started up.

_Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!_

“No one shall sleep…” Angie translated quietly. Peggy didn’t confess she knew the words, Angie’s voice was somehow making the moment more poignant.

_Tu pure, o, Principessa,_

“Even you, oh Princess,”

_nella tua fredda stanza,_

“in your cold room,”

_guardi le stele_

“look at the stars,”

_che tremano d'amore_

“that tremble with love,”

_e di speranza._

“and hope,”

_Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me,_

“But my secret is hidden in me,”

_il nome mio nessun saprà!_

“my name no one shall know,”

_No! No!_

_sulla tua bocca lo dirò_

“on your mouth I will tell it,”

_quando la luce splenderà!_

“when the light shines,”

_Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio_

“And my kiss will dissolve the silence,”

_che ti fa mia!_

“that makes you mine,”

The choir came in ethereally, from up above, representing the stars.

_(Il nome suo nessun saprà!..._

“His name no one shall know,”

_e noi dovrem, ahime, morir, morir!)_

“And we must, alas, die,”

_Dilegua, o notte!_

“Vanish, oh night,”

_Tramontate, stelle!_

“Set stars,”

_Tramontate, stelle!_

_All'alba vincerò!_

“At dawn, I’ll win,” Angie’s tear-filled voice was a strangled whisper and broke on ‘I’ll win’, and the tears that Peggy had forming in her eyes silently spilled over.

_vincerò,_

_vincerò!_

Peggy thought of Pat and his life cut so short. She understood why his uncle would have dedicated that particular song to him, it was very representative of who he was. The masculine theme of invincibility, contrasted with the fragility of life and love hanging in the balance, all kept together by a secret. She realized it could easily apply to her and Angie as well.

As the orchestra brought the music to a crescendo Peggy made a decision.

“Angie, I…”

Just then the door to the porch banged closed and the door to the living room banged open. “Ma!” Vinny called for his mother. “Where is everybody?”

“What happened?!” Mrs. Martinelli came out of the kitchen sounding a little frantic.

“What? Nothin’!” Vinny said, with a smirk.

“What’re you doing back so soon?” She asked and then pointed at him and narrowed her eyes. “You better not be asking if he could come back in here.”

“No, relax! He wanted me to drop him at the track,” Vinny said, with a shrug. “Where is everybody, did grandma leave too?” His voice was hopeful.

“No, I said, God’s not going to grant me two wishes in one day. I haven’t been _that_ good!”

“So, where are they?”

“Your father and his mother are in the garden, admiring his flowers, and Peggy and Angie were going to listen to some music in the parlor.”

He looked towards it, not hearing any music, but didn’t want to call attention to that fact. “You need any help in there, Ma?” Just then he heard a record start up, he recognized the tune and smiled it was “How High the Moon”, a favorite of his parents.

“No, I’m okay, just putting in the potatoes and then the roast will go in a little while later, it still has to come up to room temperature.”

“I’ll clear this antipasto stuff and then _go in and see Angie and Peggy_ ,” he said looking towards the parlor and loud enough so that they could hear, in case they were necking and didn’t want to be startled.

“Vin! Why are you yelling?! There’s only one deaf person here and she’s out back!”

“Oh, I thought you’d gone back in there,” he said, picking up the tray and following his mother into the kitchen.

“Oy vey, today, everyone is a little off, no?”

“Well, hopefully it’s about to get a lot better, your roast, your potatoes, Madonna mio!”

Mrs. Martinelli smiled at her son, “I’m glad you could come back and eat with us. It’ll make Angie a bit more comfortable with more of us than just me and your father trying to keep your grandmother from stomping all over my poor daughter’s special day.”

Peggy and Angie were just sitting and holding hands as the music was playing. Peggy was trying to work out how to start the conversation she had tried earlier, before Vinny had come home. She wasn’t sure she should now, because she knew Vinny would be coming in the parlor soon.

Angie was finally relaxing; the music was nice and it was taking her mind off of how her grandmother had acted towards her uncle’s song for Pat. She just didn’t understand people like her, being miserable and making everyone else miserable for no good reason. She suspected it was the why her grandfather went to an early grave and she vowed never to be someone like that. She was glad that Peggy liked the song, she could tell, as the song ended, she had taken out her handkerchief and wiped her eyes.

“Hey, ladies!” Vinny said, cheerily as he came into the parlor. “This is a good record, Ange. Dad got it a couple weeks back. It’s got all different artists on it.” He said, bopping his head to the music, it was an instrumental and heavy on saxophone, piano and drums. “This guy on sax can really wail, and the drums, Maddon’!”

Angie and Peggy laughed as he mimicked the drumming. They were holding hands, and Peggy hadn’t let Angie take hers away when Vinny walked in. Right now, they were in between them on the sofa and Angie finally relaxed. She didn’t want to make a show, but apparently Peggy didn’t feel like letting go of her right now and since Vinny seemed okay with it, she let it happen. Vinny after all was an ally in other dates she had had, but this one was they all knew was different.

The next song was “I’ve Got A Crush On You” a Gershwin tune, and hit in 1930. Angie and Vinny smiled as they remembered how their father would sing it to their mother, chasing her around the old place. They looked at each other and Vinny wiggled his eyebrows at Angie.

“Hey, Ange, you dare me?”

“No…c’mon Vinny, leave Ma alone, she’s cooking, she might drop the roast or something and then you’ll be in _real_ trouble.” Angie laughed.

Peggy looked at Vinny questioningly.

“Our Dad likes to sing this to Ma, like Jimmy Durante,” he laughed.

“Oh dear,” Peggy smiled, picturing it.

Just then another song came on, and Peggy was sure she had heard it recently, the guitar was pleasant and it went perfectly in time with the piano. Then the singer started up and Peggy and Angie both stiffened considerably.

_I’m in the mood for love…_

_Simply because you’re near me…_

They let go of each other’s hands.

_Funny, but when you’re near me…_

_I’m in the mood for love…_

Vinny noticed the movement and realized this must have been something that they liked to neck to, his eyes went wider as he thought of what else they might have done to it. He got up off the sofa like Angie had earlier and went right to the turntable, pulling the needle off the record and shut the power.

“That one’s a bit, corny, huh ladies? Let’s see what else we got…” He looked over the records he bought yesterday and had been meaning to tell Angie about them.

“Oh, Ange! This one I got yesterday, look! It’s a compilation of all of Dizzy Gillespie’s recordings. Look at who’s on there! Charlie Parker, Lionel Hampton, Cozy Cole!”

Angie came out of her thoughts and realized what he was talking about, she got up and walked over to him, looking at the album.

“Oh, wow, Vin, this is real hot!” Angie said, reverently. “It’s got ‘Disorder at the Border’! With Coleman Hawkins and his band!” Angie put it on the turntable and dropped the needle in the right place. The catchy tune started right up and Angie started to dance, pulling Vinny in with her. Peggy sat and watched them really get into the music, cutting an enormous rug. She wasn’t sure who half of the people were as they were talking about the record, they could have been baseball players for all she knew of jazz music, but she could definitely see the fun in it. When the trumpets played in earnest towards the end of the song Vinny and Angie pulled away from each other and mimicked being the trumpet players. Peggy laughed, they knew almost every note and she would have sworn they were playing.

“Jesu, Angie, I forgot how much fun that was!” Vinny exclaimed, as the song ended.

“What’s the next song?” Angie tilted her head to the stereo as the music started and then the sax got really loud. “’Woody’N’You,” Angie and Vinny said at the same time. This time instead of dancing together they each danced around the parlor. Just then Mrs. Martinelli came in with a dish towel in her hand and started to dance along with them to the music. Peggy was in awe, she wasn’t dancing as exuberantly as her children were, but she was pretty sprightly and seemed to really like the music. She couldn’t imagine her mother this way.

They all laughed as the song wound down and finally ended.

“You must think we’re all nuts, Peggy,” Mrs. Martinelli said, a little breathless.

“No, not at all, I wish I could dance as well as all that.”

Angie smiled at her knowingly, thinking about the dancing they did the night before, to some of the slow love songs that they both liked.

“We should go to that place in the Village, Ange,” Vinny said.

“Which one?” Mrs. Martinelli, asked.

“You wouldn’t know it, Ma…” Angie said.

“I have to know a place? If you told me the name, then I would know it.”

“It doesn’t really have a name, Ma,” Angie shrugged.

“Oh…I see…”

Angie looked at Peggy and explained, “It’s more of a supper club and they have dancing Fridays, Saturdays are for shows.”

“What shows?” Mrs. Martinelli asked, she tread lightly, sometimes Angie could be touchy when she was talking about things that involved her world.

“Well, they’re more like cabaret shows, dancing, singing, some magic tricks, that kinda thing.”

“Sounds glorious,” Peggy said with a smile, when Angie mentioned cabaret shows, she thought of what Gen had described to her.

“Daddy and I used to go to someplace like that, over in Park Slope. Oh, the dancing we used to do!”

“C’mon Ma!” Vinny took his mother into his arms and started a rocking rhythm, Angie went over to the turntable and put ‘Disorder At the Border’ on again and pulled Peggy up from the sofa.

They danced until the music ended and all had another good laugh together, until Mrs. Martinelli saw who was in the doorway of the parlor, her smile faded slightly, but then got bigger. “Hiya, Ma! You wanna dance with us?”

Grandma Martinelli just waved her hand at her and walked back into the living room.

“Was it something I said?” Mrs. Martinelli said to the rest of them devilishly. “I better go turn the potatoes, get a good roast on all sides.”

“You need any help?” Angie asked.

“No, no, darling, it’s all well in hand now. Just have to keep a handle on the time and when things need to go in and come out,” she mimed the movement of the pans with her hands. “Beep beep. Boop boop. That’s all. You kids have fun.”

“Here she is!” Mr. Martinelli said to his wife and came into the parlor, he gave her a kiss and then said to Vinny. “I heard the jazz going on, what record was that, Vin? The new one?”

“Yeah, Dad,” Vinny said, pointing to the sleeve.

“Angie, did he show you who’s on this thing?”

“I saw, it’s…I mean…”

“It’s like a who’s who of jazz all on this one album! Peggy, you like jazz?” Mr. Martinelli asked.

“I do, but I have to say, I’m not as much of a connoisseur as Angie and Vin are,” She said, smiling and nodding her head in the direction of the siblings who had _their_ heads together looking at the song list.

“Oh, nobody is, Peggy, don’t you worry about that, they’re like savants with that stuff!” He waved his hand towards them. “Put that other one, on Vin, the Jelly Roll Morton one,” he took Peggy’s hand. “C’mon Peggy, I’ll show you how it’s done. This was more the jazz of my time. Not too loud, hey Vin? Your grandma is taking a nap before dinner.”

Angie sat on the sofa watching her Dad show Peggy the dances that were out when he was their age. Vinny caught Angie’s eye and tilted his head towards the dancing duo, he gave his sister a thumbs up and she smiled widely and blushed, looking down at the carpet.

After a while, Mr. Martinelli got tired and waved Vinny over, “You take over young man, I’m gonna go die over there by your sister.”

Peggy looked a little worried as he was clutching at his heart. Vinny saw her face and laughed, “Don’t worry about that old man, Peggy, his heart’s as strong as a twenty-year old’s. C’mon, _we’ll_ show those two how it’s done. Angie, put on the Charlie Parker…”

Angie got up and took out the album he was talking about, “Oh Jesus, Vin! You got this?! Pop you saw?!”

“Yeah, I saw,” he had a big smile on his face.

“What is this? Christmas?!” she put on the record and Vinny spun Peggy around, catching her in his arms and then spinning her out again.

“Be careful there, son, you don’t want to get her sick,” Mr. Martinelli said. Angie sat down next to him and put her head on his shoulder.

“Thanks, Pop,” she lifted her head and kissed his cheek.

“Thanks? For what?”

“For everything,” she looked into his eyes and he knew exactly what she meant. She was thanking him for the music, the advice of a few weeks ago, even though she didn’t take it, for being a wonderful guy and especially being wonderful to Peggy.

“Well, I really don’t know what you mean, Pip, but you’re welcome,” he smiled and she kissed him again, they settled back on the couch watching Peggy and Vinny dance.

“You smell that roast cooking?” he said, quietly.

Angie nodded.

“Everything is right with the world…”

“We still have to get through the actual dinner.”

“Don’t you worry about that, sweetheart, that woman will be no bother for you,” he reached down and patted her thigh and said dramatically, “You have my word as an honorable man.” She smiled at that, he was quoting something that they had either seen or read recently.

When a slow song came on, Mr. Martinelli pushed Angie a little forward, “That’s your cue, Pip.” Angie looked back at her father with a questioning look, “You’re not going to let your best girl dance the slow ones with your _brother,_ are you?” Angie’s face lit up and she wanted to cry. Instead, she kissed his cheek again and then got up and walked towards Peggy who had been a little shocked, but then extended her arms and waited for her. Angie grabbed her hands and they danced slowly to the rhythm, not so forward as to be tightly wound around each other, more like sixth graders at their first formal, but it was nice to be able to do this in front of family, like a regular couple.

Both women stiffened a little when Mrs. Martinelli came into the room, but she put them at ease by saying, “Don’t mind me, I’m just going to go sit by that old timer there,” she pointed to her husband and they watched the women dance to the slow jazz that was coming from the record player. A couple of times, the hair stood up on the back of Angie’s neck because she felt a little nervous dancing in front of her family like this, it was a first, that was true, but she was so grateful for them and to be able to have this. Her heart was full of love, for everyone.

“Angie, you up for a walk after dinner? Before we have dessert, or do you and Peggy need to get back to the place?” Mrs. Martinelli asked.

Before she could answer, her father spoke up, “It depends on what time dinner’s on the table, no? Curfew is at ten over there.”

“Oh, yeah, no that should be fine, dinner will be on the table by five.”

Angie whispered to Peggy, “You up for a walk after dinner?”

“Sounds wonderful,” Peggy said and pulled Angie just a little bit closer. This was one of those goosebump moments for Angie, as she still felt a little self-conscious again.

Peggy was going with the flow. She wasn’t going to do anything to embarrass Angie or her family, but she felt very comfortable and happy at this moment and she didn’t really want it to end. Thankfully another slow song came on and her wish was extended.

“We’ll walk, Ma,” Angie remembered that she hadn’t answered her mother.

“Good, it’ll do us all good, especially after a good meal,” Mrs. Martinelli smiled, as she watched Peggy and Angie dance.

*****

After about another hour of listening to music, conversation and Mrs. Martinelli refusing help as she played “musical pots and pans” in the kitchen, dinner was finally served. Peggy couldn’t believe her eyes. It was all her favorite dishes that were usually served on holidays or special occasions and it was fitting, this definitely had the feeling of a special occasion. Peggy’s eyes grew bigger when she saw the cauliflower cheese dish, baked to perfection with a perfectly brown crumbed top. Vinny held the chair out for his grandmother and his mother next, as Mr. Martinelli held Peggy’s chair out for her and then Angie’s chair for her. When they were all seated, they held each other’s hands and bowed their heads and Peggy followed suit.

Mr. Martinelli started the blessing, “Bless us, O, Lord for these thy gifts which we are about to receive, they are abundant, O, Lord and rich we are with these gifts, because the grocer down the street had rib roast for a song and my wife couldn’t pass it up.” There were muffled chuckles heard from around the table and Peggy peaked at Mr. Martinelli who was peaking out at everyone with a smile on his face. “Bless us for the family and friends today who join us, O, Lord, as you know, O, Lord, that Peggy can surely cut a rug,” Another round of muffled chuckles were heard. “And bless us, O, Lord-”

“Ange!” Mrs. Martinelli warned, she knew he was already done, but he liked to do this when company came.

“O, Lord Ange, I don’t know why, but somehow you and I got the same name, anyhow, O, Lord Ange, bless us and keep blessing us. Amen.”

“Amen!” Everyone said in unison.

“Jeez, it was like he was gonna go on ‘til the food got cold,” Mrs. Martinelli said.

“Should he joke like that through the blessing?” Grandma Martinelli said.

“Ma, sta’t’izita huh? He said a lovely blessing,” Mrs. Martinelli said, as she instantly changed her position and defended her husband.

Mr. Martinelli smiled and winked at Angie. They knew it was she who had started the tradition of funny blessings when guests were over.

Peggy realized she didn’t really know a lot about Vinny, so she asked, “What do you do for work, Vinny?”

“Me? I clerk down at the drugstore on nights and on weekends,” he said.

“He’s also going to college,” Mrs. Martinelli said, proudly.

“Oh yes?” Peggy asked.

“Yeah, I’m over at Brooklyn College,” he said. “I have another year and a half left.”

“He’s gonna be an accountant,” Mr. Martinelli said, proudly.

“He _should_ be a writer,” Angie said, bringing up a little bit of an old family argument.

“Dad’s right though, Ange, I have a gift for numbers and I can make good money working for those big firms down in the financial district.”

“Yeah, but…”

“He can still write on the side, Angie, like you…” Mr. Martinelli said.

“What like me?”

“You work and then you go audition, no?”

“Yeah, but he’s got an actual talent,” she said, a little down on herself.

“Hey!” Her mother and father said in unison.

“None of that kinda talk, Angie, you’re talented and you’ll get your break soon.” Mr. Martinelli said.

“What does your grandmother always tell you?” Mrs. Martinelli asked.

“Stop standing in her light?” she said, knowing that they weren’t talking about this grandmother.

Her mother had to laugh at that, in fact all of them did, except the grandmother that was in the room. “Tsk, not this grandmother, your Nana.”

“Nana says that I have to be patient and that I’ll get my big break soon, I know.” Angie answered by rote.

“My mother is Nana,” Mrs. Martinelli said to Peggy helpfully.

“Oh, I see,” Peggy said, smiling.

“She lives over in Jersey, with my younger sister,” Mrs. Martinelli continued. “She works for a lawyer, career girl.”

“This way they’re both not alone,” Mr. Martinelli shrugged. “Though we did ask your mother to come live here.”

“She never wants to bother anyone,” Mrs. Martinelli shrugged.

Peggy loved all of this family’s quirks, like the shrugs, or the offhand jokes that were plentiful and lowering their voice when they wanted to talk about their deaf grandmother. Peggy was just content to sit, listen and smile.

She was also content to eat everything on her plate.

“The food is just so…so…lovely, Mrs. Martinelli,” Peggy managed to say in between bites. The roasted potatoes were so brown and crispy on the outside, but fluffy and almost creamy on the inside. She never would admit this to her mother, but they were better than even her mother’s roast potatoes. And the cauliflower cheese was everything it should be, creamy, nutty and heavenly sumptuous. The swede, or rutabaga as it was called over here, was like a dish of butter with a side of squash and even the carrots were done to perfection. She hadn’t even touched the roast yet, but she could see, it was a thing of beauty.

Mr. Martinelli was cutting up his mother’s meat and asked Peggy a question as she was putting her first bite of the roast into her mouth, she had to quickly chew it.

“Dad, she’s eating…” Angie said.

“Oh, sorry,” he apologized with another shrug.

“Wine, Peggy?” Mrs. Martinelli asked, then said to Angie, “She doesn’t have to talk, she can just nod or shake her head.”

Peggy swallowed the food that was in her mouth and held out her glass to Mr. Martinelli who was holding up the bottle, “Yes, please.”

“Oooh, is that the vino?”

“No, Ma, this one’s grape juice, you want some wine?” Mr. Martinelli asked her.

“Yeah, what are we? Animale?”

Peggy and Angie laughed at that.

“Lu, my darling, would you pour my beloved mother some wine from the wine bottle,” he winked at her.

After it was handed to her, Grandma Martinelli smelled it and drank some of it, asking, “Is this new? It doesn’t seem so strong…”

Angie reached across the table, “Grandma, let me see,” her grandmother handed her the glass. Angie sniffed it and said, “Hoo, not strong? I think it might be _too_ strong,” she took a sip, “Oh, Madonna mio! Il vino è troppo forte.” She made a pose with her arm like Rosie the Riveter.

“Yeah?” Grandma Martinelli was a little skeptical.

“Oh, yeah, if I drank _that_ …sarei ubriaco!” She handed her back the glass over the table and the older woman sipped again, satisfied now in its potency.

Mrs. Martinelli shook her head in awe at Angie’s quick acting skills and Mr. Martinelli blew her a kiss from the far end of the table.

“Oh, wait everyone, I forgot!” Mrs. Martinelli said.

“What, Lucy, is something in the oven?” Mr. Martinelli asked.

“No, the wine, I forgot, we were going to do a toast.”

“Oh yes,” Mr. Martinelli put down his knife and fork and picked up his glass. Then indicated the others should do the same.

“To Angie and Peggy,” Mr. Martinelli began. Angie and Peggy’s mouths hung open and Mrs. Martinelli smiled and reached over to squeeze Angie’s hand.

“Ma,” Angie said, out of the side of her mouth. “What is he doing?”

Her mother answered her likewise from the side of her mouth, “Shush, the man is a poet, let him… _poet_ ,” she smiled at her husband and raised her glass higher.

Mr. Martinelli cleared his throat, “As I was saying, To Angie and Peggy: May their friendship lead to many companionable years together and may they have as many wonderful ones as me and that beautiful lady down at the end there. And to my deaf mother who is pretending not to see what’s going on, thank you for showing me how _not_ to parent. To the beautiful couple!” He held up his glass higher to them, smiled and nodded his head. Vinny and Mrs. Martinelli did the same and after Angie and Peggy brought up their glasses higher accepting the toast, they all drank the wine, Peggy and Angie took a few moments before they drank, they were still in awe. This had to have been planned, possibly the whole night had been talked about by Vinny and Angie’s parents, this couldn’t have been impromptu.

Angie looked over at Peggy, she was just as touched and flabbergasted by it all. She would have leaned in for a kiss, but again, she wasn’t daring enough for that yet.

“Grazie, Daddy,” Angie said, awed.

He nodded at her and said, “Prego, sweetheart,” he took a sip of wine. “Oooh, this is good wine, who makes it?”

“The best damn winemaker in town,” Vinny said, tipping his glass to his father.

A somber look came over Mr. Martinelli and he said, “You know, I really love you kids, I don’t want yas to ever suffer like we did growing up. Right, Lu? That’s the only reason why I ever say to have something to fall back on,” he said, putting his wine down and picking up his knife and fork, cutting into his meat. “I mean, your looks only get you so far, like me…” he said as he winked at his wife.

“Stronzo,” she said, smiling and shaking her head.

“No, but seriously, I know you’re going to be a wonderful actress sweetheart, I’ve always said it, didn’t I always say it, Lu?”

She nodded her head, “From when she was this high,” Mrs. Martinelli held her hand at about three feet high. “You remember those shows in the backyard in Brooklyn?”

“Oh, managgia, how could I forget? Peggy,” Mr. Martinelli said, “this one over here,” he pointed at Angie, “decides that she wants to put on a show, like…come si chiamano?”

“Laurel and Hardy,” Vinny said, with a look of glee on his face.

His mother picked right up on what he was doing, “Hey, Vin, he doesn’t have too many brain cells left, you shouldn’t fun.”

“No, smart alek,” Mr. Martinelli said, trying to think of who he meant. “You know…short guy, married the brunette with the big casabas…”

Angie silently laughed hard, trying not to outright guffaw but couldn’t really keep it in. Peggy too had been trying not to laugh but when Angie went, she gleefully laughed too, trying not to spit her food back into her dish. 

“Ange!”

“What?!”

“Your mother,” she warned and pointed.

“Meh,” he waved his hand dismissively in her direction. “You know who I’m talking about…” he snapped his fingers at Angie who really wanted to draw this out, but she finally let him off the hook.

“Micky and Judy, Dad.”

“Thank you, finally, yeah Micky and Judy. She and Jack were going to put on their own show. So, they get this one” he pointed to Vinny, “And Pat to build them a stage out back. I helped with the frame, of course, being the master carpenter, I am, thank you very much, and then Vin helps them flesh out this story they want to do. Something about Florida…Tampa?”

Vinny devilishly added, “Jacksonville?”

Mr. Martinelli shot him a look and then snapped his fingers again at Angie.

“Orlando, Dad,” she smiled at Vinny.

Peggy looked over at Angie in astonishment.

“What?” Angie asked, cutting into her roast potato.

“How old were you?”

“They couldn’t have been more than eight or nine,” Mr. Martinelli answered. “No, so Peggy, they get Vin to flesh out their story and that one over there sews up the costumes and makes the popcorn balls…”

“And this one,” Mrs. Martinelli thumbed in Angie’s direction, “she wants to charge five cents a head.” She shook her head.

“What?! I thought we should make a return on our investment.”

“She always had a good head for business,” Mr. Martinelli said, with a wink.

“Five cents?! It was the height of the depression!” Mrs. Martinelli said, incredulously. “Some of those poor kids’ parents didn’t have two sticks to rub together.”

Peggy was still in awe that an eight-year-old would want to tackle the subject material of Virginia Wolff’s _Orlando_.

“It was a smash hit!” Vinny said. “Come to think of it, we probably _should_ have charged, we’d still be rolling in it today.”

“All because of your writing, Vin,” Angie said, smiling proudly at her brother.

“And what an actress,” Vinny smiled back at his sister.

She looked down and smiled, embarrassed; she never felt good about taking compliments, it was hard for her, always had been.

The rest of the meal was spent in a comfortable mélange of humor, good natured ribbing and a lot of Angie’s family telling Peggy her accomplishments and other notable moments. Peggy was curious about one such moment in particular that they had alluded to earlier, but that she didn’t want to bring up to Angie as she felt it was painful for her.

While they were on their walk after dinner, Peggy took the chance to ask Vinny about it while the others were walking ahead. Angie was between her parents as they pointed out to her some of the new construction that was going on near their house.

“Vinny, can you tell me what happened to stop Angie from playing baseball?”

He smiled sadly and looked at his sister’s back, “It was the summer of ’38,” he began. “She was really coming in to her own with her pitching. I know she wasn’t gonna be picked up by the big leagues or nothing, those chooches, but she was really developing some deadly pitches and making some ripples around town, who knows, maybe she coulda been some kinda pioneer. Like that Howard Stark,” he said, and Peggy’s eyes narrowed, she realized she hadn’t thought of Howard or Jarvis or work for that matter since earlier that day. “Anyway, we’re playing a game at the park and Louie comes in and decided he wanted to pitch, he was on the opposite team. That jerk of a coach puts him in just to shut him up. He walks the first guy, I mean, he was nowhere near the strike zone with any of his pitches. Then Angie goes up to bat, a little under protest because Louie’s pitches were all over the place and she didn’t want to get hurt. Someone yells out something about ‘I bet you couldn’t even strike out a girl’,” Vinny sounded a bit bitter at that.

Peggy’s blood pressure started to pick up, as soon as he had said, ‘Louie’ but now it was really getting high.

Vinny continued, “So he decides he’s gonna burn one in there, Angie’s standing there, waiting for the pitch and he just lets it fly, she didn’t even have time to react to it, next thing I know she’s down on the ground and clutching at her elbow. She batted lefty; it was her pitching elbow,” He sighed and shook his head sadly. “Hairline fracture, but we didn’t know it then, all we knew is that she couldn’t pitch anymore. And a year later when she came back to bat, she practically dove out of the way when anything inside came close to her. Trauma.”

“Do you think he did it on purpose?”

“Pat thought he did, he chased him for about a mile, Louie didn’t come over for a while after that.”

“Do you mind me asking why you’re still friends with him? It’s pretty clear that no one in your family likes him.”

Vinny let out a sigh before answering, “I don’t really know, except that, his father is pretty hard on him and sometimes he’s not such a bad guy, I don’t know. I kinda feel sorry for him. Ya know?”

Peggy thought about five such people she had in her life like that at this moment.

“I know,” she said and patted his arm.

“There’s Mrs. Fetzer!” Mrs. Martinelli said and Peggy saw a woman standing near a girl of about ten who was sitting on the lawn and appeared to be sunning herself, but the sun was going down.

“Hi Martinellis!” The woman greeted them enthusiastically. “Going for your walk?”

Mrs. Martinelli nodded, “And what are youse doing? Millie is that a new dress?” She addressed the girl who was looking towards the waning sun.

“She got it yesterday and she’s already going to have a grass stain, but who can tell her anything? She wanted to catch the last of the sun before it went to bed,” Mrs. Fetzer smiled. “Is this Angie’s friend?” She asked, looking towards Peggy.

“Yes, she came for dinner today.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Rachael,” Mrs. Fetzer waved from the lawn. “Millie, Angie’s here with her friend Peggy.”

“Oh!” Millie got up from the lawn. “Angie!” she looked for Angie, though she appeared not to see her and Angie walked up to her and gave her a hug.

“Hi Millie! How are you today?” Angie asked.

“Good. You brought your friend?”

“Yeah, Mil, here,” she led Millie by the hand and brought her closer to Peggy to introduce her to Millie. “Here she is, Mildred Fetzer meet Peggy Carter.”

“Hi Peggy,” Millie said as Angie put her hand in Peggy’s. “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too, Millie. I like your dress,” Peggy could tell the girl was blind and possibly a little learning disabled. “It’s a pretty blue.”

“Mom says it has dots on it, I love dots.”

“Yes, they’re very smart dots, too,” Peggy smiled.

“Are you going to come read with me and Angie on Wednesday?”

Angie laughed, “I don’t know Millie, Peggy works on Wednesdays, she’s not lucky like me and gets to have off.”

“What time do you read?” Peggy thought she could maybe skive off work early and be here with Angie to hear her read to Millie.

“Around four, after I get home from school and do homework and eat snacks.”

“That sounds lovely, I will try to come back with her and see you then, is that okay with you, Millie?”

“That would be great!”

“What do you read?” Peggy asked.

“She reads me all these wonderful books that Mom won’t let me read on my own.”

Peggy laughed at that and looked at Mrs. Fetzer who shrugged, “Angie puts them in context for her.” Peggy definitely wanted to be there to hear that.

“Okay, Mil, sounds like we got ourselves another date,” Angie said, and hugged Millie goodbye. “We’ll see you at four on Wednesday.”

“Goodie!” she said, happily.

“Okay, Millie, the suns getting really low, say good night to it and let’s go in before it gets too cold. Good night Martinellis!”

“Night Rachael!” Mrs. Martinelli said. “Night Millie.”

After their good nights, Angie went up to Peggy, “You sure you’re going to be able to make it?”

“They don’t keep me too busy lately and I’d like to come see you read. I have a feeling you’re not reading Peter Rabbit. I’m curious.”

Angie was also curious, if Peggy’s work didn’t keep her too busy, then what was with having to go out the other night to get something that was at work? That was something else she’d file away for now; she was having too good of a time tonight and she didn’t want to start thinking things like that. Like her grandmother would. Speaking of Grandma.

“You okay back there, Grandma?” Angie asked.

“Huh?!”

“I said are you okay?!”

“Yeah, was that the blind girl?” She asked, thinking she was being quiet.

“That was _Millie_ , Grandma.”

“Poor thing, how’s she gonna get a husband?” She sounded like that was a bad thing.

Angie closed her eyes and shook head; Peggy bumped her shoulder into hers to make sure she knew she was there for her and not to get too upset about that.

“Be careful there, Angie’s friend, you could fall,” Grandma Martinelli said, thinking Peggy had tripped.

“Oh, yes, thank you,” Peggy said, gratefully.

“You know, Angie, I heard that one’s father left the mother,” Angie’s grandmother said.

“Yeah, Grandma, Dr. Fetzer left his wife,” she said, hoping she would leave it there.

“Probably because of the girl,” her grandmother said. “No?”

Angie stopped short and her grandmother bumped into her.

“You have some rum in your iced tea?” Grandma Martinelli asked.

“Grandma, not that it’s any of your business-”

“Mrs. Martinelli,” Peggy interrupted before Angie could go down that dark path. She knew what Angie had to say would be spot on and exactly what the woman needed to hear, but she also knew that Angie would regret saying it and think that she had ruined their day, when it had been just the opposite. She wouldn’t let her do that to herself. “I was wondering about your village, the one in Sicily…”

“Everything okay back there girls? Ma, you need something?” Mr. Martinelli asked.

“Everything is just fine. In fact, your mother was just going to tell me about her village,” Peggy said, as she looked at Angie who was still trying to calm herself.

“Oh, mio villagio, que bella,” Grandma Martinelli started up and their walk continued as before with the older woman regaling Peggy with stories from her village in Sicily.

After a while, Vinny walked with his grandmother and Peggy took Angie’s hand as they walked behind the group, hanging back a little so they could talk.

“Thanks for that before, Peg,” Angie said, a little down on herself for letting her grandmother get to her.

“You don’t have to thank me for that, darling. I told you, I’d keep you from that dark path.”

“Oh, it was dark, alright,” Angie said, truthfully. She held up her fist and shook it at her grandmother’s silhouette.

Peggy pleaded, “Dearest, don’t let it get you like that…”

“She doesn’t even know the story, yet she judges that poor girl and her mother. It’s so easy for her to dismiss them as not being good enough for a man because she had the German measles as a baby and that lead to her having developmental difficulties and blindness and that Rachael’s husband didn’t want to stick it through. His nineteen-year-old secretary on the upper East Side didn’t help that situation is what it was,” Angie said bitterly.

It was Peggy’s turn to stop walking.

“He left his wife and child for a nineteen-year-old secretary?” Peggy said, disgusted.

“It’s okay, Rachael took him to the cleaners,” Angie said. “But if someone tries to say that Millie had anything to do with that-”

Peggy took Angie’s hand and started walking again, she looped her hand through her arm and boldly kissed the side of her head.

“You’re the hero she needs.” ‘I need,’ Peggy thought. “Rachael looks young for someone with a ten-year-old,” she noted.

“She’s probably not much older than you are, I know she’s only about nine years older than me. I guess Dr. Fetzer prefers them young. I never really met him but I saw his picture in Millie’s room, he looked a little older.”

“Men,” Peggy said and Angie chuckled.

“Without ‘em where would we be?” she asked.

“An organized, happy world full of women who are polite and kind to each other?”

“Where’s the fun in that, English?! ‘Sides, I’d miss my Dad and Vin too much and not having known Pat or Jack? Nah, I’ll take the unorganized chaos, I’m not a man hater or anything,” she shrugged.

Peggy put an arm around Angie’s shoulder and whispered in her ear, “I know one thing we wouldn’t miss out on…”

Angie’s heart beat harder and she wondered how she was going to make it through dessert.

*****

As they walked back to the house, they saw someone sitting on the porch.

“Oh! Jesu Christ en Croce,” Mrs. Martinelli let out a louder than intended whisper. “He’s back.”

Peggy’s eyes narrowed and she could feel her blood pressure start to rise, she was sure it was Louie. She was going to have to hold Angie back but she would do whatever was necessary to help her keep her cool.

Just then, the figure stepped out under the porch light and Mr. Martinelli exclaimed, “Bobby! What the…what in the _heck_ are you doing here?!”

“Angelo! Lucia! Angie! Vinny! Mama!” He said dramatically and went up to them.

His family went up and greeted him, his mother hanging back, not looking too pleased. He bent down to kiss her on the lips and she turned her cheek to him. He looked like he expected it and kissed her dutifully.

“I missed you, Mama,” he said loudly.

“Yeah? So what?”

“So, I’m here to see you, and to bring you home.”

“Why, where’s your brother?”

“He’s home, but he was in no condition to come and get you, if you know what I mean,” he lowered his voice and looked at his brother for the last part of the sentence.

Mr. Martinelli shook his head and then said, “Come in, come on, Bobby, come in, have some cannoli and some espresso. I can’t believe you’re here! I thought you had a show in Boston.”

He shrugged, “Measles outbreak so they canceled it.”

“Oh my God, we had one of those here last month,” Mrs. Martinelli said, climbing the stairs. “Let me go put the coffee on.” She said, then zoomed past the others as they were still in the middle of greeting each other.

Just then Angie’s uncle noticed Peggy, “And who is this beautiful girl?” He looked at his brother.

Angie stepped out to the side and touched her uncle’s arm, gesturing towards Peggy, “This is my friend Peggy, Uncle Bobby, Peggy, this is my uncle, Roberto Martinelli, the tenor. The one we listened to sing Nessun Dorma earlier.”

“So nice to meet you, Mr. Martinelli, your singing was lovely.”

“Nice to meet you too, Peggy. Any friend of Angie’s is a friend of mine,” he winked at her. “Please, call me Bobby or Bob,” he said, as he shook Peggy’s hand, impressed at her grip. He turned it over and smoothed over the back of her hand, then lifted it and bent slightly to place a kiss on it.

Peggy was impressed by his chivalry, and the way he wore his coat over his shoulders, like she saw some of the great artists of the day do, she had to admit, he was pretty suave looking, but she really hoped he wasn’t trying to make a pass at her. She had been through that too many times in the past few days, Louie’s attempt included.

Mr. Martinelli took his brother’s coat and went to hang it up for him.

“Vinny, you’re looking well, how’s school?” he asked his nephew after giving his brother his gloves and scarf.

“It’s going great Uncle Bob, almost done with this semester, then finals and the summer.”

“Are you going to take me up on my offer to show you around Nantucket this summer? You could meet some very rich widows…” He said enticingly.

“Nah, I’m good Uncle Bob, I’m going to work this summer, full time.”

“You’re still in the pharmacy?”

“Yeah, clerking and delivering.”

“You’re a good boy,” he said to his nephew and patted his cheek.

Peggy wasn’t sure what to make out of Roberto Martinelli. His suit was well made, he looked like a big jolly man with a very smart mustache and beard as black as coal, with hair to match. His voice was as big and resonant as she thought it would be, being that he was a tenor. But she wasn’t sure what his character was, especially because he wanted Vinny to pick up a rich widow and he was looking Peggy up and down again. She might have to take him aside and give him the hard word, she thought.

“This one is looking at me,” he waggled his finger at Peggy. “Angie, I think your friend might take me out back and break off a knee cap.” he said, his eyes wide but mirthful.

“Oh, Uncle Bob,” Angie said, playfully and gave him an elbow in the side. “That’s her way of sizing you up. Don’t worry, I’ll put in a good word,” she gave him a wink.

Peggy was a little annoyed at that, she knew she shouldn’t be, but Angie was acting like she’d give her over to her uncle if he snapped his fingers.

“Ooh, I don’t know, Ange, she looks like she might not take your word at all,” he lowered his voice and spoke out of the side of his mouth. “Do you think we should tell her?” He put his arm around Angie’s shoulder and walked with her to the dining room where Mr. and Mrs. Martinelli were setting up for dessert.

“I don’t know, Uncle Bob, it’s up to you. I mean, if you think she can keep your secret.”

“We’ll see, huh?” He wiggled his eyebrows at Angie.

Now Peggy was curious, what was this secret that they were going to measure her worthiness for.

“Mama!” Uncle Bobby said to his mother, “Did you get my letter?”

“What letter?”

“The one I mailed to you last week,” he said, incredulously. “I send a letter once a week. You don’t open them?”

“What am I going to read in them?”

“You could read about my new house; we’ve almost finished building it.”

“I wouldn’t be setting foot in it, so why would I want to read about it?” she shrugged and looked away from him.

Angie shook her head and looked sorry for her uncle. He sighed animatedly, “My own sweet mother… oh well, someone pass the cannoli!” he said, cheering considerably.

As they settled in with their coffee and pastries, Angie snuck a look at Peggy, she could tell she was definitely leery of her uncle and she wished she had a chance to tell her about him properly. She could sense that her uncle was gearing up to devil his mother by revealing his secret, that wasn’t really much of a secret at all, within the family. But she never knew how people outside the family would react.

“Angie, do I need to give you more tickets, or were four enough?” Her uncle asked as he stirred some Sambuca in his coffee.

“I think the four are plenty, Uncle Bob, I was figuring if…well, I think four will be enough.” Angie was figuring on asking Peggy to go with her and then if Vinny wanted to bring a date, they could all go together but she hadn’t talked to Peggy about it yet.

“Lucy and Angelo, I was able to get you the box for Sunday.”

“That’s wonderful, Bob, thank you!” Mrs. Martinelli, said gratefully.

“You’ll have to wear your tiara and stole, Lucy,” Mr. Martinelli winked at her appreciatively.

“Oh, something else. I’m doing a special appearance at the school for the blind in Flushing,” he said, looking at Angie.

“Really, when? Why?” She was stunned, that was Millie’s school.

“You forgot to ask how,” he said, with a chuckle. “I received a letter from a friend of yours,” Uncle Bobby said with a smile. “A little girl who signed her letter,” he took a letter out of his breast pocket with what appeared to be his reading glasses and put them on. “She signs it, ‘Millie ‘Mildred’ Fetzer, proud friend of Angela Martinelli’. She was very flattering of your reading skills and that you faithfully bring her new and interesting things to listen to on records. Especially,” he looked for the spot in the letter where she listed what she and Angie did on Wednesdays. “Jazz and opera,” he quoted from the letter. “‘…which she tells me that you sing and that the record that I heard earlier today of ‘La Donna è Mobile’ by Giuseppe Verdi was you singing. I liked it very much. But I have to tell you that when Angie told me what those words meant in English, I was pretty mad, I don’t think women ought to be talked about like that. They aren’t fickle and they aren’t false. My mother is not simple and she can always be relied upon. I just wanted you to know that. Anyhow, I really liked your voice, if you could come to my school, I would be the favorite of all my classmates. Signed, Millie ‘Mildred’ Fetzer proud friend of Angela Martinelli et al. and c.,” he folded the letter carefully and put it back in his breast pocket with his glasses. He smiled at Angie and picked up his cannoli biting it practically in half and chewed happily. “Mio Dio, Lucy, I would marry you if I weren’t already…” he said in praise of her cannoli.

Mrs. Martinelli laughed and Mr. Martinelli rubbed her arm. He had given up his seat at the other end of the table for his brother and was now sitting on the corner, between his wife and his mother. Who had shook her head in disgust when he said he was married.

“I told the school I would be there Wednesday, I figured you and I could go over together, since you’re off, no?” Uncle Bobby said to Angie.

“Yeah, that would be wonderful, thank you!” She replied.

“Buon, I’ll pick you up at the Griffith at about two after my warmups, I figured we’d go there for the end of the day, so as not to disrupt their studies too much.”

“Would that be okay for you, Peg?”

“Should be perfectly fine,” Peggy smiled at Angie and her Uncle Bobby’s eyebrows went up slightly. He smiled at Angie then tilted his head towards Peggy and winked back at Angie. She nodded her head and smiled. He gave an impressed look.

“Peggy, my brother doesn’t like to brag, but I do. He used to work with Toscanini,” Mr. Martinelli smiled proudly.

“The great Italian conductor? That’s impressive, what is he like?” Peggy asked.

“Tough but it’s not his fault. A genius is always tough to work with. A little temperamental, but who isn’t? And has the most fantastic memory, he can see anything and recall with absolute precision exactly what it was. I’ve always told him, if he gets sick of music he can go into vaudeville and perform for people, his ‘Feats of Memory’” Mrs. Martinelli laughed at that. “Don’t laugh Lucy, I could make a fortune managing him!”

“Youse two fought like cats and dogs,” Mr. Martinelli said.

“Of course, I don’t take direction well,” he shrugged at Peggy. “He wanted me to shave my beard, can you believe it?! That stronzo standing up there with his handlebar moustache out to here,” he made his arms wide. “And he tells me I need to shave? Va fa Napoli, huh?!” He ran the tip of his fingers under his chin to accentuate that particular phrase. “Now, his daughter Wally and I get along like a house on fire! In fact, she’ll be coming out to see the house and stay in the summer when it’s finished.”

“I thought you were going to be in Nantucket?” Vinny asked.  
“For a week, sure, but then back at the new one on the Sound.”

“Did Freddy get the sconces for the dining room?” Mr. Martinelli asked.

“No,” Roberto said, with part of another cannoli in his mouth. He was a little perturbed by the sconces it seemed. “I don’t think he wants them and so he’s not looking very hard.”

“Bobby, you’re going to end up like this one over here,” he said, quietly and thumbed towards his mother. “Sometimes in a relationship you have to compromise, isn’t that right, Lu?”

“Compromise, sure, that’s how we ended up here in Queens. We compromised.”

“I thought it was to get away from,” Roberto said, whispering and pointing at his mother with his espresso spoon.

Peggy smiled, it was pretty funny seeing these big men with such small cups, she also realized that Roberto and Freddy were a couple and so he wasn’t making a pass at her earlier. She relaxed more and enjoyed the banter between the family.

“Yeah, well that, and he wanted grass and land. I told him, Brooklyn has that, but he wanted to come here, so I compromised,” she shrugged.

“And you’re the most beautiful compromiser ever,” Her husband said and kissed her cheek.

“Fresh!” she said, laughing. “Peggy, piece of Crostata with a smidge of ice cream on top? It’s warm,” she said, enticingly.

Peggy was going to refuse but she just couldn’t, “Just a small piece, please.”

“I’ll have about that size, too, Lucy,” Uncle Bobby said, “Then double it.”

Everyone laughed.

His brother looked at him and he patted his stomach, “For the voice, you see…”

“Yeah, I see how big the voice is getting,” he quirked an eyebrow at him.

Uncle Bobby said, “I should have walked today, is that where you were coming from?”

“Yeah, we did about a mile and a half.”

“I’ll have to get on the ball, I mean, I know I’m supposed to be Don Giovanni like, but this is getting a bit ridiculous, darling.”

“This Crostata won’t help, Bob,” Mrs. Martinelli said, as she served him up a bigger piece than she gave Peggy.

“It might,” he said, smelling its aroma. “At least for my appetite.” He winked at her and accepted the dish from Peggy. “Thank you, bella. If Vinny won’t come up to Nantucket, you and Angie should visit, just for the week.”

“Oh, that would be lovely, but I don’t think I could get that kind of time off of work,” Peggy said, a little disappointedly.

“Man, that phone company is rough…” Angie said, looking at Peggy in sympathy. “I mean usually you get at least a week’s vacation in the summer, no?”

Peggy hesitated; she didn’t really know how to answer that.

“No,” Mrs. Martinelli spoke up quickly when she saw she didn’t really have an answer. “My cousin, Theodora, she worked for the phone company up until last year. She said they were like slave drivers. I guess there are a lot of people that have more than one phone, they’re always busy over there. No, Peggy?” She said with a nod.

“Y-yes, you’re right, we’re swamped.”

Angie shrugged and accepted a piece of Crostata.

“Well, then if you can get a weekend to yourselves, you’ll have to come see me out on the Sound. It’ll probably be better than the place up in Nantucket anyway.”

Grandma Martinelli mumbled something unintelligible.

“What was that, Mama?” Uncle Bobby asked.

Mr. Martinelli shook his head at his brother.

“Ho detto, abominio,” his mother said, and narrowed her eyes at him. The room went quiet.

“Yes, that’s what I thought you said. But it doesn’t matter, Mama, I’m in this world and you can’t take me out without going to jail, so there.” He said defiantly and sipped his coffee and shrugged as he put it back on the saucer in his hand. “I love who I love and that’s non-negotiable in my world anymore, no Ange?” he asked his niece who smiled at him and nodded.

“Exactly right,” Vinny spoke up and said. “Grandma, I’m sorry but I love Aunt Freddy, he’s the best Aunt I’ve ever known and I’m not going to let you speak bad about Uncle Bobby and him,” he said, also defiantly.

Vinny’s parents were shocked but proud, he usually was quiet on these family matters, only because he knew his parents had these things in hand and wouldn’t want him showing disrespect to his grandmother. But he loved his sister and he loved his uncle, and he didn’t want anyone to hurt them anymore, not even his grandmother. Especially not her actually. This was supposed to be blood and blood was thicker than water. He remembered what Angie had said one time when he had told her that blood was thicker than water and their grandmother would come around. She had said, “Yeah? So is dirt.” Back then he had thought she was a little bit callous, but recently, he too had a relationship that he didn’t want known yet, just because he didn’t know how his parents would take it and it gave him a view into his uncle’s and Angie’s worlds that made him even more sympathetic than he already was.

“Et tu, Vinny?” Grandma Martinelli asked.

“Yeah, Grandma, me too,” he said, with emotion evident in his voice. “Mi dispiace, I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but that’s my uncle and I love him and I won’t have you bad mouth him no matter who he chooses to love.”

“That’s my son,” she said, defiantly.

“Then you should act like it,” he said, just as defiantly and put his coffee down on the table, crossing his arms in front of him.

“Buon,” she said and got up from her chair. “I’m leaving. I’ll take the bus home.”

When no one protested her decision, she started towards the door.

“I’ll send for my coat,” she said, with a backwards look at the table.

Uncle Bobby shook his head and looked at Mrs. Martinelli who bent her head towards the door to go after her.

“Mama, you don’t have to take the bus, I’ll bring you home, I’m going that way anyway.”

“You do what you want, I can tell you what to do now?” she said and waited for him to take her home. Mr. Martinelli got up and went to get his mother’s coat and to say goodbye to her.

“Lucy, thank you for the magnifico dessert, I’ll have to come back for dinner soon, if you’ll invite me,” Uncle Bobby said and hugged her.

“Anytime, you know I’ve always said, mi casa, su casa, Bob. You come back with Freddy soon, we’ll have a grand old party, like we used to in Park Slope,” she winked at him and his kissed her on both cheeks.

“Oh Madonna Mia, remember when we were arrested?”

Angie and Vinny let out gasps and stood there with their mouths hung open.

Mrs. Martinelli punched his shoulder, “You rat bastid! You weren’t supposed to tell my kids about that!”

“Oooh, I forgot, forgive me, Lucy! Don’t cut me off from cannolis and Crostata!” He said, laughing as he went to take his hat and scarf from his brother, who then helped him with his coat. “C’mon, Mama, Andiamo!”

“Good bye, Ma!” Mrs. Martinelli waved at her as she left, not waving back.

Peggy looked a little sorry for her and Mrs. Martinelli winked at her, “It’s not a real party until that woman leaves in a snit without saying goodbye. Am I right, kids?” she asked Angie and Vinny.

“At least this time she didn’t throw anything,” Angie said.

“Vinny, I’m proud of you, mio figlio,” Mrs. Martinelli said and went up to her son and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “You were sticking up for your uncle and even though you didn’t say it, I knew you were sticking up for your sister, too. Thank you, sweetheart.”

“I just couldn’t take her being down on her own family like that. I mean, who cares who anyone loves? I know what the church says but I don’t agree with it and I’m not going to stay silent about it anymore,” he said, looking at Angie who had happy tears forming in her eyes. “Not only because it involves those that I love, but I mean…we just lost hundreds of thousands of men and women all across the world, to fight against people who hate others just because of the blood that courses through their veins. And you know what? When you get shot, that blood is red, just like everyone else’s. It doesn’t matter if you’re black, brown, yellow or red, or if you worship God, Jehovah, Yahweh or Mohammed, or don’t at all, and it doesn’t matter if you go with women or men,” he nodded and looked at each of them, pulling his shirtsleeve up and showing his veins. “We all bleed the same blood.”

“Amen,” his father said, coming into the dining room and putting a hand on his shoulder. “That was beautiful, Vinny.” He said and turned his son towards him to wrap him up in a big hug. Mrs. Martinelli had clasped her hands together while he was speaking and she too had tears in her eyes. She went and hugged Angie while she waited to go hug Vinny. She reached out to Peggy and squeezed her hand.

“I have the best bunch of kids in the world,” she said, sincerely and kissed Angie on the cheek.

They broke their hug and Mrs. Martinelli went and hugged her son. Mr. Martinelli patted her on the back and said, “We did good, Lucy, didn’t we?”

“We sure did,” she said, happily.

Angie stood watching her parents and Peggy came closer to her, putting her arm over the shoulder closest to her as she watched the touching scene. Angie snaked her arm around Peggy’s waist and squeezed. They looked at each other and smiled.

Later, after helping Mrs. Martinelli with the dishes, even though she protested profusely, she and Angie said their goodbyes to her family at the door and were loaded with groceries and leftovers to take back. Peggy even saw Mrs. Martinelli shove a couple of more tea towels in the bag and she laughed.

“You sure you don’t want me to drive youse girls home?” Mr. Martinelli asked.

“Nah, Pop, after the dessert, I think we’ll need more exercise,” Angie patted her stomach.

“Oh, yeah, you’re right, I probably should _walk_ you girls home,” he laughed and patted his own stomach.

“Vinny,” Angie said as she pulled her brother into a hug. “I still think you should be a writer, but ya know, who listens to their little sister? And after what I saw tonight,” she held him at arm’s length. “You should be the one up on the stage.” She smiled.

“Oh, no, Angie, you’re the actor in this family. You think I could have done that in front of two thousand people in a theater? Not even one thousand.” He pulled at his collar to show nervousness.

She laughed and kissed his cheek, “Thank you for what you said, it was beautiful.”

“I’ve been wanting to say it for a long time, I guess it finally decided to come out,” he shrugged.

“Mom, Dad,” Angie took their hands and pulled them closer to her. “Tonight, you both did something so wonderful for me and I don’t know if you planned it all, but I really appreciated how you treated me and Peggy. I know…ya know…it’s not easy, but I love you being the accepting, loving and caring parents you are,” she said and then gave them each a big hug and kiss.

Mrs. Martinelli went over to Peggy, while Mr. Martinelli was hugging Angie and then telling her about the concert plans for when Uncle Bobby was singing at the Brooklyn Opera House.

“Peggy, it was so wonderful to finally be able to have you over, I really enjoyed your company. It was a real pleasure,” she said, patting Peggy’s hand.

“The pleasure was all mine, Mrs. Martinelli, I can’t thank you both enough,” she said, as Mrs. Martinelli pulled her in closer to kiss her on both cheeks.

“You’re gonna tell her soon, no?” she whispered near her ear.

Peggy pulled back and looked into those knowing brown eyes. She nodded, “As soon as I can.”

“At least tell her something, so she don’t worry, that’s all,” she said and patted her hand again.

“You don’t think she’ll worry more if I _do_ tell her?”

“You don’t have to tell her the complete truth…” she said, then spotted Angie looking at her worriedly. “Ixnay, Ixnay,” she said, out of the corner of her mouth. “She’s made us.” Then said louder, “Okay, darling? I’ll give you that recipe as soon as you come back, you’ll have to promise me.”

“I will, definitely I will.”

“Good,” Mrs. Martinelli winked.

Angie had looked over a little worriedly at her mother and Peggy, she couldn’t hear what they were saying but it was odd to her that they had to whisper. And now she was supposed to believe that Peggy was asking after a recipe? She would again, file this piece a way in the file that was getting kind of big, but that she wouldn’t tackle right now.

*****

As they walked back to the subway stop Angie asked Peggy a question, “What was it that my mother was saying to you back there?”

“Nothing, darling,” Peggy said, trying to be nonchalant about it.

“Yeah? It didn’t seem like nothing; she was whispering to you.”

“I asked her for a recipe and she made me promise to come back another time before she gave it to me.”

Angie didn’t buy it and her eyes narrowed, “Which one?”

Peggy’s bluff was called. “Uhmm, oh yeah, her roast potatoes.”

“Really? You, English woman, don’t know how to make roast potatoes?”

“Not like those tonight,” she said truthfully, they were wonderful and her mouth watered even now as she thought about them.

“And whose oven are you gonna cook them in? Miriam’s?”

“No…I’m sending it back to my Mum, in England, so when I go back there, she can make them for me.”

Angie chuckled and shook her head.

“What’s so funny?”

“I was just wondering why you were trying to start World War III between England and America?”

Peggy laughed, “Well, I mean…I…” she tried to explain.

“It’s okay, you and my mother have your little secrets together and I’ll keep mine to myself.”

“What secret?” Peggy asked.

“Nope, I was gonna tell you but now I don’t think I’m gonna.”

“Angie,” Peggy pleaded. “Don’t do this to me…”

“Do what?”

“I cannot rest if I know someone has a secret, I will do everything I can to get it out of them.”

“Well, you do that…”

Peggy stopped walking and Angie stopped and turned around.

“You’re just going to stand there all night?”

“If I have to…”

“Alright, English, but don’t come crying to me when a dog comes and pees on your leg,” she said and turned around to walk to the bus stop that would take them to the subway station.

Peggy narrowed her eyes and started walking faster to catch up to her.

“I’ll beg,” Peggy said, looping her arm through Angie’s.

“Oh, you’ll be begging alright,” Angie said, then turned to her with the smoky eyes that Peggy recognized as her ‘sexy eyes’. She now knew when Angie’s eyes got like that, she was in for, at least, an hour of pleasure, taken to heights she had never dreamed before but never quite reaching the top, until it was all too much and she rode the wave of pleasure down all the way to the shore, with Angie right there with her. 

The bus pulled up and they both go on, Peggy sitting across from Angie, who still had those same eyes, but an innocent smile on her face. Peggy couldn’t believe how hot she was getting for her from just a look. Angie looked away as someone came and sat down near her.

They spent the ride to the subway stop in silence with Peggy stealing glances towards Angie, who gave her the eyes two more times. She had to close her own eyes to stop from getting up, pulling Angie to her feet and kissing her in front of the other passengers.

The ride on the subway was exactly like the one on the bus and before Peggy knew it, they back at the Griffith, making passionate love on the mattress on Angie’s floor, to the hottest jazz she had ever heard in her life. They didn’t stop until they heard the knock on the door.

“Lower the volume, Ms. Martinelli! It’s not a jazz hall!” Miriam Fry yelled through the door. “Do I make myself heard?!”

Angie, who had frozen when she heard who was at the door, looked down at Peggy beneath her with fright filled eyes, but a devilish grin tugging at the corner of her mouth.

“Yes, Ms. Fry!”

“You better go lower the music before she uses her pass key,” Peggy furtively whispered, pulling the sheet off of Angie, who rolled off of her and did a gracefully lithe dancer’s move to get up and turn down the radio. 

“Thank you!” Miriam shouted through the door. “You should be more like your friend Ms. Carter, I hear nary a peep out of her room, night after night. She’s probably perturbed at your loudness and too polite to say anything!”

Angie looked at Peggy and eyerolled, “Oh, don’t worry about Peg, Ms. Fry, she’s fine,” she said, as she pulled up the sheet and looked at Peggy’s naked body. “She’s _really_ fine,” she winked and slid back in beside her, letting the sheet billow back over them. “She sleeps like the dead!” Angie said, and closed her eyes, trying to will Ms. Fry away from the door.

Peggy stifled a laugh as best she could.

Ms. Fry scoffed, “If she tells me different, you’ll be hearing from me again!” She said and shuffled off towards the other floors to make sure they weren’t turning her residence into their own versions of a dance hall.

“Gesu Crist en Croce,” Angie said, and put her hands on her head. “That was close.”

Peggy knew she shouldn’t but she used this moment to get Angie’s secret out of her and she rolled her upper half on top of Angie and looked down into her eyes, devilishly.

“You better tell me your secret right now, Angela Martinelli or I’m going to tell Ms. Fry that your music frequently keeps me up all night and that I’m having a devil of a time trying to sleep.”

“You wouldn’t!” Angie narrowed her eyes at Peggy and tried to wrest her wrists from her grasp.

“Oh, wouldn’t I?” Peggy cleared her throat. “Ms. Fry, I simply don’t know how I’m going to get a good night’s sleep while I’m next to Ms. Martinelli, I mean, she’s frequently keeping me up until all hours of the night and morning. The bags I have under my eyes could fit into actual bags…” Peggy grinned with her handy work.

“English…” Angie warned.

“Now, you simply _have_ to tell me your secret or I’ll go down this minute…”

Angie knew Peggy wasn’t about to march down and tell Miriam Fry that she was keeping her up at night and she really didn’t mean to make this much of a deal about her secret, because now it didn’t really seem that great of a secret. It had been fun to keep something from Peggy and see her squirm at first, but now she might be disappointed when it was revealed.

“I was gonna tell you, English, before you got all man-handly,” Angie said, as she struggled against Peggy’s bonds.

“I quite like having you like this,” Peggy quirked an eyebrow and gave her, her best lascivious look. She rubbed more of her skin on Angie’s and Peggy had to bite back a groan.

Angie’s eyes grew wide and she laughed, “Oh, Peg, you can’t even pull that off, your skin is too sensitive, poor baby,” she said, and pouted in sympathy.

Peggy let go of Angie’s wrists and Angie was quick to reverse their positions, now holding _her_ wrists like bonds and rubbing her skin over Peggy’s, making her moan in earnest. Angie leaned down and captured Peggy’s lips in a blistering kiss.

“Don’t you worry, English, first we’ll finish what we started and then I’ll tell you _anything_ you want to know.”

“Anything?” Peggy said, with her eyebrows raised.

“Any. Thing.” Angie said, with a nod for each word.

Thirty passioned filled minutes later and they both lay back on the bed, coming off of their orgasmic high and reveling in the feelings caused by one another.

“Oh, my word, my darling,” Peggy breathed out. “I keep waiting for some…kind of a…slowdown in how much pleasure you give me, but…it just keeps getting better and better.”

“And this is a problem?”

Peggy laughed, “Not at all, I just am still amazed,” she said, and closed her eyes as her body still hummed with pleasure. “I just didn’t believe it was possible.”

“You’re not falling asleep over there on me are you, sweetie?”

“Not at all, just basking…”

“Good,” Angie said and did her own bit of basking in the meantime.

“You are _deliciously_ insatiable, I love it,” Peggy giggled. 

“You don’t mind some bags under your eyes then?”

“Not one bit,” she had to admit. “Besides, you haven’t told me your secret yet, so you can keep me up as long as you like.”

Angie opened her eyes and propped herself up on an elbow looking at Peggy.

“It’s nothing really, Peg, I just had some news and I didn’t really want to tell anyone yet. I debated about whether or not to tell you, but I really think I should.”

“Now you simply have to tell me this instant,” Peggy got up on her elbow too and Angie fell back on her back.

She almost looked as if she was going to not tell it now, but then she got a really excited look on her face and said, “I got a call back!”

“Angie! That’s wonderful!” Peggy exclaimed and kissed her on the cheek. “Congratulations, darling! I knew you would get something soon!”

“Careful there, Peg, it’s not in the bag yet, it’s just a call back. They haven’t decided who gets the part yet.”

“I know, dearest, but how many of those have you had?”

“I don’t know…let me count…with this one included?”

Peggy nodded.

Angie appeared to be doing some complicated math in her head and finally said, “Two and the other one was a mistake, they got the name wrong.”

“You see! It _is_ a thing to be congratulated for!” Peggy said excitedly and then leaned in for another kiss. After their kiss ended Peggy said, “When do you go back for it?”

“Tuesday, but don’t tell anyone, you promise? I’m gonna call out at work and I really don’t want them to know why, you know?”

“I promise, I won’t. But why didn’t you tell your family at least? You could have shared the great news tonight at dinner.”

“I know, I was going to, but then my grandmother and Louie, and I kind of didn’t want them to know yet. You know, just in case I don’t get it.”

“Oh, my sweetheart, you shouldn’t think like that, I know you’re a wonderful actress and so do your parents. They would have loved to hear this news.”

“I’m just glad I got to tell you, my sweet,” Angie said, softly and Peggy’s heart melted. They kissed sweetly and this time it did deepen.

Peggy’s last thought before getting into another heavy round of unimaginable pleasure was that she starting to not be able to imagine a time when she didn’t have this in her life. When she didn’t have Angie, and how sad it would be if this ended. She made up her mind to tell her about the SSR and what she did as soon as Angie was done with her callback on Tuesday, of which she had the utmost faith in her that she would get the part. She just didn’t want to upstage Angie’s big moment before it happened. 

The music played while they made furtive love to each other and while it wasn’t loud or bothering anyone in the building, it _was_ on until almost one in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song credits: “Nessun Dorma” music and lyrics by Giacomo Puccini for his opera Turandot.   
> Excerpt from “I’m In The Mood For Love” Music and Lyrics by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields. Published in 1935 by Robbins Music. © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC


	9. To My Heart She Carries The Key

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angie goes on her callback, Peggy goes on a mission and Dottie…who knows what's up with that one, am I right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is dedicated to my friend, Charlotte, whom I met on the internet 25 years ago and with whom I recently reconnected shortly after starting to write this story, as a matter of fact. I don’t know if I’ll ever tell her I’m writing it, ‘cause ya know, I’m dumb like that. But, even though we lost touch, had no idea how to get in contact with each other (her name is very popular and mine has changed), were an ocean apart and hadn’t spoken to each other in about 24 years, we fell back into an easy friendship and it’s like no years had passed between us. NYC Pride ’95, ‘The London Dyke’ drink, Clit Club, chatting up Jenny Shimizu and (possibly Angelina Jolie) in the toilets, much drinking, much parade walking, and a whole lot of fun that week in June! We also share a love for Judy Garland. Thanks, Charlotte! 😊 Here’s to another 25. Though…25 years?! Check the figures on that! I need to see the figures!

_Tuesday, 5 am. Two days later._

A happily slumbering Peggy and Angie were woken up by a knock at Angie’s door.

“Angie!”

Angie groaned and tried to roll over. Peggy, who had woken up like a shot, held her girlfriend back on her side of the mattress and looked at the door. She tried to shake Angie awake.

“No…it _can’t_ be time to get up yet…” Angie whined.

“Angie! It’s Dottie, I’m sorry to bother you this early, but I wanted to see if I could borrow a map!”

One of Angie’s eyes finally opened and she looked at Peggy, who rolled _her_ eyes and nodded towards the door.

“ _Hayseed_ ,” Angie said, in a low voice as both her eyes were opened and quickly narrowed. She wanted to tell her to go away but managed to make her voice sound caring. “One second, Dot!”

Peggy scrambled off the bed and she and Angie hastily put it up onto the frame. Each woman grasping for their robes as Peggy went off into the bathroom. Angie watched as she tried to get the robe that was twisted around itself to behave and unwind, giving up finally and just pulling the door closed without making a sound. She pictured Peggy standing there in the nude, holding her robe in her hand and chuckled as she shook her head and walked to the door.

She pulled the map, that she kept for just this purpose, off of the shelf next to the door and cracked open the door.

“Here you go, Iowa, it’s of New Jersey, I hope you have a good time in the Garden State.”

“Oh, I meant a map of New York, I was going to go sight-seeing today,” Dottie looked a little disappointed.

“I’m kidding you, Dottie, it’s a map of good ol’ NYC,” she chuckled and showed her the front of it.

“Oh, okay, good joke there, Angie!” Dottie laughed and then her face was instantly serious again. “Are you going to work today?”

Angie was going to lie and say she was, but then she didn’t really want to have to keep spinning the lie as Dottie kept asking questions, so she just decided to be dramatic.

She sighed and leaned up against the doorframe, “I’m _too_ consumed by ennui to go to work today, Dottie,” she gave her best Katharine Hepburn. “I’ll tell them…I’ll tell them that I’ll miss their darling little faces, but alas, I shan’t be attending…”

Dottie’s hairline lifted with her eyes and her mouth hung open, she blinked finally and asked, “Is that from a show?”

“Yeah, the ‘Angie Martinelli show’. I’ll be doing it from right here, Wednesdays and Fridays and a matinee on the weekends, you wanna come? It’s cheap, I charge five cents a head,” Angie chuckled.

“Oh wow, wouldn’t that be swell?!”

Angie smirked; this girl was too much.

“Well, Dot, I don’t mean to be rude, but I was really sawing some logs in there and I’ve got to get back to it.”

“Oh sure, I’m sorry, thanks for the map! I bring it back later!”

“You’re welcome, keep it, I’ve got plenty.”

“Wow…”

Angie closed the door on her astonished face, she was being honest, she didn’t like to be rude, but she also didn’t like being fake and making small talk at…she looked at the clock. ‘Five in the morning?! Geez, I oughta make her pay for that map,’ she thought. She started to undo her robe, then she remembered Peggy being in the bathroom.

“All clear,” she whispered through the door. It opened and Peggy stood there with the robe thrown over her shoulder and a pathetic look on her face that made Angie want to kiss it.

“I couldn’t get it untangled,” she said, frustrated and sleepy. Afterall, it was only a few short hours ago that they went to sleep.

“Your hair too…” Angie said, looking at the uncharacteristic tangle of hair on Peggy’s head, with an amazed look and a small smile on her lips.

Peggy narrowed her eyes at Angie and pushed passed her into the room, looking back in judgement, “All of these things are _your_ fault by the way. And now I have to wash and set my hair, and I have to go to work and I don’t want to…can’t I just call off work too?”

Angie had been pouting in sympathy as Peggy was griping but then her face brightened, “Well, as I have told you many times before, ‘you’re not going to get a protest from me’, English.”

Peggy sat on the bed and tried to untangle the robe getting increasingly frustrated with it until Angie rescued her and took it from her hands.

She looked at Peggy and took pity on her. A thought occurred to her and she hoped Peggy wouldn’t misunderstand.

“You know, maybe…maybe tomorrow night after we get back from Queens we should sleep in our own rooms,” Angie said calmly, after having reasoned that maybe she _was_ keeping Peggy up too late and it was causing her to start to come unglued.

Peggy who was mostly putting on the frustrated bit to give Angie a laugh, straightened up and looked shocked that Angie would say something like that and as level-headed and nonchalant as she did.

Angie laughed at the way Peggy looked right now, “I don’t mean it like a bad thing, Peg,” She took out the belt from its loops on the robe, which she realized was part of the problem, and then started untangling the robe itself. “I just mean that maybe you need some more sleep that I’m not letting you get.”

Peggy reached out and stopped Angie from what she was doing and said in a whisper, “I’ll show _you_ some sleep.” She pulled her down with her on the bed and Angie laughed.

“Hey, let me get _my_ robe off,” she said, as she undid the belt and then tossed the robe over the armchair. “Geez, such a man-handler.”

Peggy waited patiently as Angie got under the covers and then she pulled her to her and settled her into her side, which had become their favorite sleeping position.

They were back to happily snoozing within five minutes.

*****

As they were getting ready later that morning, Angie was helping Peggy with her hair, which was back to being its tidy and proper self, Angie took out something from the box she had near her bed.

“I noticed you seemed to have lost your watch, Peg, here’s one that I don’t really use,” Angie said, putting the watch in Peggy’s hands and then brushing the back of her hair to get it to sit right.

Peggy looked at the watch, it was almost new and exactly something that she would have picked out herself.

“Oh, no, Angie I…”

“Are you going to make me fight you tooth and nail to take the watch?”

Peggy laughed and said, “No. Thank you, darling, I _did_ need a watch. I just haven’t had time lately to stop and buy one.”

Angie nodded her head, “Good, I thought you might need it, since you kept going to give me the time and then sighing each time you realized it wasn’t there.”

She brushed the back of Peggy’s hair that was fighting her on curling under and finally she gave up. ‘Curl out, for all I care.’ Peggy looked good no matter what hairdo she had. Even the rat’s nest from earlier this morning.

“You’re all set, lady, that’ll be two kisses and some stuff we don’t like to talk about in the daytime.”

Peggy laughed again as she put on the watch. 

“I’ll give you one of those kisses now and then I must be off, dearest,” she said, standing up already dressed in her work clothes. They had taken to bringing in one of Peggy’s outfits the night before, so she didn’t need to go back to her place to change, that way they could spend more time together.

Angie dutifully stood in front of her as she readied her purse. Peggy looked up, smiled and then leaned in for what was supposed to be a quick kiss but was drawn out. She groaned as Angie pulled away finally.

“You’re making it hard to leave…” Peggy said.

“I’m just standing here, I didn’t even try to touch you none, English.”

“I know, it’s just getting harder and harder to leave you every day.”

Angie smiled at her wistfully, “I know, honey, it’s really hard for me too. That’s why I said what I did earlier this morning, about maybe sleeping apart?”

“But, darling, I don’t mean it like that…” Peggy realized she was frightened that Angie was showing signs of being tired of her.

“I know, but I don’t want to become a…”

Peggy looked at her questioningly, she was curious as to what Angie was starting to see herself to Peggy as, she realized Angie might have been feeling that Peggy was tiring of _her_.

“ _Hayseed_ ,” Angie said, indicating something annoying.

Peggy laughed, “Oh, _you_ ,” she swatted her arm and then rubbed it. “What am I going to do with you to build your confidence up? Honestly, you pump me full of confidence and love and then you don’t have any left over for yourself. I’m going to have to start performing a soliloquy of your virtues morning, noon and night.”

Angie smiled, “ _That_ I’d pay to see.”

“You’re going to be wonderful today, darling. Good luck. Wait, what is it that they in the theatre for luck?”

“Break a leg.”

“Do not _actually_ break a leg, but _break a leg_ ,” Peggy said, smiling and leaned in for another kiss.

“Okay, that’s the two-kiss payment,” Angie said when it ended. “Thank you very much by the way, that last kiss had a tip in it which was really quite surprising and lovely.” Angie alluded to the tongue swirl Peggy had added at the end of it and Peggy smiled widely. “Now, when you come back tonight, we’ll do the other stuff we don’t like to talk about during the day,” Angie winked.

Peggy laughed and shook her head, then became serious and said in an authoritative voice, “And none of this sleep apart, nonsense, I won’t hear of it. Besides, how can you and I sleeping apart help me with not being able to leave you each morning?”

“I don’t know. I-”

“Stuff and nonsense,” Peggy said, finally.

“Okay, Miss Carter,” Angie said, backing down.

“I’ll see you tonight,” Peggy smiled.

“I’ll be here,” Angie licked her lips.

Peggy’s eyes grew wide and she quickly left the room before she lost all decorum.

Safely out into the hall without being spotted, Peggy smoothed some of the edges on her lip line out as she looked into her compact and started walking towards the stairs. Just then Dottie came out of her room.

“Hiya, Peg!”

“Hello, Dottie,” Peggy turned around and smiled pleasantly at her. “How are you this morning?”

“Great! I thought I’d go down to the diner and get something to eat, I was going to head out to do some sightseeing, I don’t suppose you can come?”

“I’ll come with you to the diner, but I’m sorry, I can’t join you on your sightseeing tour, I have to go to work.” Peggy figured she’d humor Dottie, if only to keep up appearances that she and Angie weren’t currently shacking up together and excluding their neighbors from their lives.

“Well, at least you can join me for breakfast, let’s go!”

*****

“What does ennui mean?” Dottie asked, looking up from her map suddenly.

Peggy struggled not to eyeroll and said, “Uh, it’s like melancholy. Sadness, born out of tedium or boredom. Why d’you ask?” Peggy asked, even though she knew the answer.

After Dottie explained the reason, Peggy told her that she couldn’t believe Angie’s acting teach told her she wasn’t dramatic enough. Just thinking about her made Peggy happy and she had to stop talking about her or Dottie would get suspicious, but she was dying to tell someone the stories of Angie’s accomplishments, (especially the fact that she got a call back on one of her auditions for today), all about meeting her family and just how extraordinarily, wonderful she was. She hoped to be able to tell _someone_ that soon.

As Dottie went on about what sights she wanted to go to see, Peggy spotted Jarvis’ business card and it brought her mood down. She held it in her hands and thought of the betrayal she felt at _his_ hands. He of all people, her fellow countryman, no less, that she thought she could rely on. It brought her to back to thinking of Angie and the fact that she could always be relied upon.

When Dottie asked about her opinion of her sightseeing tour Peggy finally snapped out of her thoughts. She told Dottie to shy away from the tourist traps and tore up the business card as she explained why. She recommended Dottie start with Brooklyn, the former home of the only two people that she held in the highest esteem besides her own parents. When she was done with her explanation of how the Statue of Liberty shouldn’t really be seen, and that Dottie should go talk to the people that she represented, she told Peggy she sounded just like Captain America.

Peggy blushed and said, “That’s no bad thing.”

She was proud of being compared to Steve, but, truth be told, the reason for this particular blush was because when she had said the words “Lady Liberty” she had pictured Angie, wearing a robe, crown and holding up a torch in one hand, with a book in the other, and it made her feel slightly guilty.

After Dottie knocked Peggy’s purse over and put back her belongings for her, save her room key, Peggy got up out of the booth, said her goodbyes and told her to have fun.

Passing Carla on her way out, she stopped for a quick chat.

“Hello, Carla,” she said with a warm smile.

“How’s things, Peg?”

“Couldn’t be better as a matter of fact, thankfully, how about you?” she touched her arm. “How’s your mum?”

“I’m fine and she’s doing better, much better actually, thanks for asking.”

“That’s wonderful to hear,” Peggy said, relieved.

Carla looked around and then leaned in conspiratorially, “Angie called out today, she told me she’s sporting the ‘Red Badge of Courage’.”

Peggy’s eyes narrowed thinking it was some kind of coded message Angie was trying to get to her.

“I’m sorry?”

“You know,” Carla leaned in a little closer and said out of the side of her mouth. “Strawberry week.”

Peggy realized what she was talking about and chuckled, the names were really clever, she’d have to remember them.

“Oh, yes, it’s terrible. I told her to just stay in bed with a hot water bottle until the pain goes away.”

“For me…I get like that for three days straight. I don’t envy her right now,” Carla said, gravely.

“Nor do I,” Peggy said, empathetically. “Have a wonderful day, Carla. I’ll see you again soon.”

“Yeah, you know, Ange said she might come in for the lunch rush, if she feels better, you should come back then.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, thanks Carla,” She said, as she squeezed her arm and gave her a fond smile.

Myra, who was behind the counter, went up to Carla after she saw Peggy leave.

“Hey, Carla, what’s with the blonde dish in that booth Peggy just left?”

“Whaddya mean?” Carla got a little defensive, she didn’t like anyone nosing around Peggy and Angie. Even though they hadn’t told her anything about their romantic relationship, she could tell they were sweet on each other and she was damned sure going to make it so that no one gave them a problem about it.

Myra thumbed quickly in Dottie’s direction, “She looked like she just slipped her a mickey and was waitin’ for her to pass out.”

Carla surreptitiously looked over to the booth with the blonde woman who Angie sometimes referred to as ‘Iowa or Hayseed’. She had been looking at Peggy leave then saw her go back to pouring over the map but simultaneously pocketing something that was evident she didn’t want anyone to see. Carla narrowed her eyes at her. Usually, Myra was always coming up with conspiracy theories, so she didn’t pay too much attention to them, but this one piqued her interest, it somehow felt different. So, she vowed to watch this one a little closer, or at least tell Angie to watch her back.

“We’ll see about that, My,” she said, in solidarity.

Myra nodded her head and narrowed her eyes over at Dottie who suddenly sprung up and left the restaurant.

*****

After Peggy had words with Jarvis in the rain, she cursed herself, for the third time on her umbrella-less walk to work and realized that it was because she had gotten so caught up with Angie last night, that she had forgotten to check the weather, something she normally always did in the evening addition of the paper the night before. That made her think of what Angie had said that morning, that maybe they needed to sleep in their respective rooms because things were becoming too much. She entertained that thought for about three whole seconds and laughed it off as crazy. When she made it into work Rose greeted her and let her know to keep her eyes open, someone was here and word was, he was trying to crack a code.

Peggy straightened her back and shoulders and went into the office. She saw this as her chance to actually do something she was trained for since she’d been at the SSR. Asking Agent Sousa for information on what was going on, she went straight to the room where the newcomer was as he was relaying what he knew.

‘Amateur,’ Peggy thought, as she looked over the cipher. ‘Hasn’t even taken into account that the message could be in Russian.’

Inside of two minutes, Peggy had cracked the code and was transcribing the message from LEVIATHAN. She wasn’t going to let her moment pass her by and she insisted on going to Russia after Dooley barked out orders to the team that would be attempting to bring Howard home from Belarus. As she followed him back to his office, she had to get loud and remind the Chief of her war record. He shouted her down, but she still wasn’t letting this go. She was made for this mission.

When Thompson pointed out that they needed muscle, and not a nanny, she lost her cool slightly and showed off her knowledge of Russia, berating herself for letting him get to her because now he knew what the smell of herring in the air meant during a Belarussian summer. It wasn’t so much as the knowledge of that, but how she had told Angie not to let people get to her and then she just walked into Thompson’s needling and couldn’t keep her cool.

She definitely held the trump card, though and when she played it and Chief Dooley’s eyes lit up like she said she was able to deliver the New York Yankees to this office of the SSR, she knew she was as good as on the plane. She had the last laugh because she had the 107th Airborne Division and Thompson didn’t.

As soon as the Chief said she was able to go, she turned on her heel and went to her desk, dialing the Griffith on the secured line.

She was surprised to hear Dottie on the other end of the line, “Dottie, hi, this is Peggy…I thought…”

“Hiya, Peggy!” Dottie looked around the hall hoping no one had heard that, least of all Angie.

“Yes, hi Dottie…I’m surprised to hear your voice, I thought you were going sight-seeing.”

“I’m such a dumb brain, I forgot my wallet, can’t get on the subway without money, Dottie!”

“Oh well, you’ll still be able to get to Brooklyn…”

“I hope they keep it open for me…”

Peggy eyerolled and said, “I’m sure they will. Actually, Dottie, I’m glad you answered, can you do me a favor and see if Angie’s still in our… _her_ room?” God, she closed her eyes and prayed Dottie didn’t catch that slip of the tongue.

“Sure Peg, you need something from her?”

“Just…well, I just wanted to talk to her to remind her about something, that’s all.”

“Okay, sure, hang on a moment okay? I’ll go see,” Dottie held the phone in her hand and looked at her watch, she stretched the phone and looked around the corner, still no one in the hall, she checked her watch again and waited just a few more moments then went back to Peggy. “No, Peg, I’m sorry, she must have left, did you need me to give her a message?”

Peggy hesitated while she thought of what she could tell Dottie without her getting suspicious.

“That would be great, Dottie. I wonder if you could just remind her that…she needn’t wait up for me to go over our notes on “A Tale of Two Cities”, for our book club on Wednesday, I have to work late tonight and might not even be able to get back for curfew, I might have to stay here but I _will_ see her tomorrow night.”

“Oh, that’s too bad, Peg. I’ll let her know. Say! Do you think I can join this book club? Sounds fun!”

“W-well I think it’s all full currently, but when we start the new book, I’ll try to put in a good word.”

“That would be swell, thanks Peg!”

“You’re welcome, Dottie, take care.”

“You too.”

Dottie looked devilishly pleased with herself after hanging up the phone and Angie almost ran into her on her way out to her callback.

“Heya, Dot, you okay there? I almost didn’t see you, sorry.”

“Yeah, Angie, hey, thanks for the map, I’m going to get right out there and go sightseeing. I don’t suppose you changed your mind and want to go with me?”

“I’d love to, but I have an appointment I can’t miss, maybe some other time, okay?”

“Okay, Angie! I’ll see ya!” Dottie said, with a big smile.

“Yeah, see ya!” Angie smiled at this girl’s seemingly never-ending enthusiasm; she’d have to try that on an audition sometime.

“Oh, hey, Angie, I have something to tell you,” Dottie looked serious like she just remembered something.

“Yeah?”

Dottie’s face brightened suddenly, “Have a great day!”

Angie’s eyes narrowed as she felt like she was missing something.

“Yeah, you have a great day, too, Dot…”

She carried that puzzlement all the way to the bottom of the landing and then put it out of her mind as she ran her lines in her head again.

*****

Peggy was disappointed that she couldn’t talk to Angie. She was going to try to tell her that she was an agent in some form or another, though she wouldn’t have told her which outfit yet, but that she had an important case she was working on and that she wouldn’t be able to make it back for tomorrow. She would be sure to explain all about it when she saw her again. Knowing that might have scared her, she was determined to tell her something, just in case this mission went badly for her, Angie might be able to get some answers if she never came back. She usually kept those kind of thoughts clear from her mind before a mission, but she was a realist and didn’t like to shy away from the truth. She also had wanted to make her apologies to Millie and promise she would be back to see her on a different day. She knew she was risking something by not being able to tell her the whole truth, but maybe if she explained that, Angie would give her a break and not jump to conclusions or judge her for not telling her yet.

She suddenly remembered someone who could help her in that department and cursed herself for not thinking of it sooner as she picked up the phone again.

“Yes, Rose, I wonder, could you do me a favor and look up a number for a Mr. A. Martinelli in Queens? No, no, no, no, yes, that’s the one, the A N G Martinelli, cheers, thanks a lot,” she said, as she positioned the receiver on her shoulder so she could pick up a pad and pencil. “Yep, Bayside7-2438. Thanks, Rose, cheers.”

She hung up and dialed the number off of her pad, trying to will the phone to be picked up on the other end, but it just rang. Sighing deeply, she hung it up after about twenty rings. There was no time to lose, she had to get prepared for this mission, she just hoped Dottie wouldn’t muck up her message, and that Angie wouldn’t think that she was crazy for it being so cryptic.

The banter in the locker room set her teeth on edge and when Sousa was sent over to her side of the lockers while she was getting undressed, she thought of leaving Thompson in Russia.

Still, she was excited to be seeing the old gang again, especially Dum Dum Dugan, who she could always count on for laughs as well as being able to confide in.

*****

“And you are?”

Angie fought off the urge to eyeroll, she had been here so many times before it was starting to become comical.

“Angela Martinelli.”

“Oh yes, thank you for coming in Miss Martinelli, it is _Miss_ Martinelli correct, not Mrs.?” the producer asked.

“Correct, _Miss_.”

The producer looked at the file in his hands and then squinted at her, “Well you certainly look the part,” She thought his smile was a little too lascivious for her tastes and hoped she didn’t have to get tough. “I wonder if you would be willing to wait for this particular part, the production just got pushed back to October.”

Angie’s face brightened, “That’s not going to be a problem at _all.”_

“Wonderful, Miss Masterelli,” he said, reading from the file.

“Martinelli,” Angie corrected.

The producer looked down again at the file in his hands and his brow furrowed.

“You’re not Antoinette Masterelli?”

Angie closed her eyes briefly and thought, ‘Gesu Crist en Croce in June, it happened again.’

“No sir, I’m Angela, Angela _Martin-_ elli,” she said, staring at the file in his hands.

He pushed a button on a box on his desk, “Joan can you bring me the file on an Angela Martinelli, please?” He looked at Angie. “We’ll get this sorted out, don’t look so disappointed, Miss Martinelli.”

Joan came in and gave him the file, “Will that be all Mr. Robbins?” she asked, giving Angie the once over.

“Yes, thanks,” he said, looking over Angie’s actual file as Joan gave her a hopeful look and left the office. “I see,” Mr. Robbins said looking at the decidedly thinner file. “I’m really sorry, Angela, may I call you Angela?”

“Sure, that’s fine.”

“Angela, somehow you got on the call list, but…”

Angie chuckled and said, “I know the drill, Mr. Robbins, I didn’t get the call back, Antoinette _Master_ -elli did, that’s okay, this has happened before.”

He looked really sorry now, “In one of my productions?”

“Oh no, in a different one, it’s okay, the names look similar, it happens,” she shrugged, her heart was in her throat, she couldn’t believe it had happened again. She really didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry.

Mr. Robbins, Jerome Robbins to be exact, jutted out his lower lip in sympathy. “You did make an impression on the director, Angela, it says here that you were very good on the singing and dancing.”

“Very good,” Angie repeated. “Just not ‘very good’ enough.” She smiled ironically.

“I’m really sorry. _Here_ ,” he got up and took out a bill from his pocket. “I feel awful that you came in all this way only for it to be a mix up. Here, take this for your troubles,” he held out a bill towards her. “You probably took off from work today, am I right?”

She smiled, “Yeah, as a matter of fact I did, but no thanks,” she put up her hand to refuse the bill. “I signed up for this kinda work and I have to take the good with the bad, right?”

“Well, today you only have to take the ten dollars, Miss _Martin-_ elli,” he said with a smile.

“Nah, thanks really, you keep it. Give it to Antoinette and tell her I said congratulations,” Angie smiled, though she wanted to cry.

He folded the bill and put it back in his pocket. He really wished he had been at her audition so that at least he could have given her better notes on what she could have done to get the part.

“I tell you what, Angela, here…” he said, going to his desk and getting one of his business cards out. “Take this instead, the next time you get an audition in one of my productions, call this number and tell them when your audition is for, I can’t promise anything, but I’d like to be there.”

Angie brightened a little, but she surmised he was just being nice. She took the card and thanked him.

Passing by Joan’s desk she thanked her and said goodbye.

“Will we be seeing you at rehearsals in September?” Joan asked.

“Not this time, Joan, maybe next time.”

“Chin up, kid, you’ll get there,” she said, with a wink.

Angie nodded to her, she didn’t trust her voice right now, she was worried the lump in her throat would dissolve into tears, so she just smiled and left the office.

Once outside in the hall, she put the card in her pocketbook, even though she felt like ripping it up. She knew he just felt bad about the mix-up and was being nice, but that he wouldn’t come out to her audition if she called, he’d probably be in some big production and wouldn’t be able to make it and she’d have to listen to a litany of apologies. Not that she was particularly bitter about that, at least he tried to pay her for her troubles. The last time this happened the producer laughed for about ten minutes and waved her out of his office because he couldn’t catch his breath enough to say goodbye, let alone that he was sorry for the trouble she went through to get there. That had been a nightmare because it was on a particularly busy day for the diner and Myra had started to show with her last child so she couldn’t work anymore. She had to beg another girl to cover for her and pull two doubles in a row before Mal would let her off that day.

Walking by the subway station, she decided not to go home to wallow in her depression, she would go to work and try to forget today, at least she had tonight with Peggy to look forward to and then tomorrow when she could really introduce her to Millie and bring her into their “Words and Music” club. She smiled as she thought of it and the lump in her throat lessened considerably.

*****

“Ange! I thought that was you,” Carla said, as she came in the backroom. “So, I guess you’re feeling better?”

“Yeah, a bit, Carla, thanks,” Angie had just finished putting on her spare uniform and was now fastening the buckles on her shoes.

“You still look a little…mezz’ e mezz’,” Carla said, turning her hand side to side.

“Yeah, I guess, it’ll be that way for a few days,” Angie said, a bit depressed.

“Poor thing,” she said sympathetically then brightened up, “Hey, Peggy was here earlier this morning,” Carla said, and touched her on the arm.

“Yeah?” Angie was a little surprised, they had a pretty big breakfast before she did her hair for her. “To pick up breakfast for those jerks at the office?”

“Not today, she was with that…you know, the one you call ‘Hayseed’,” Carla said.

“Dottie? Yeah? I didn’t know she was coming here today.”

“She had a big map and she was getting Peggy to tell her what places she should see. Peg only had coffee, but that other one, she ordered half a pig with a side of omelet.”

Angie smiled, “Ah, yeah, she asked me to borrow that map, came and knocked on my door at five in the morning.”

“Ooh, I would have thrown a shoe at her head,” Carla said, narrowing her eyes.

“I don’t know, Car, she’s a little…”

“Touched?”

Angie chuckled, “No, well, sorta, but I feel bad for her, ya know? She’s just so optimistic and cheery, I don’t want to be mean to her.”

“No, you’re right, I know people like that. Just…”

“What?”

“I don’t know…I get this vibe from her you know?”

“What kinda vibe?”

“You know,” Carla leaned in closer to Angie and lowered her voice. “The kinda vibe that we get when Mal tells us he’d be lost without us? Or like when Myra tells her husband she’s happy to be married to him?”

Angie nodded and smiled; she knew that vibe for sure.

“Just watch your back with that one, I don’t think she’s all she seems to be, capisce?”

“Io capisco,” Angie nodded dutifully, remembering the weird way Dottie was acting in the hallway as she left for her callback.

“Buona,” Carla smiled at her.

Carla was getting ready to go back out front, but Angie had a sad look on her face. She hoped she hadn’t started something that was going to mess with Angie and Peggy’s relationship.

“Che cosa?” She asked Angie.

Angie sighed, “You know when you know something isn’t ever going to happen, but you just can’t be honest with yourself and admit it?”

“Hey…Angie, I know that…” Carla stopped and looked around the lockers towards the door that separated the changing room from the kitchen. No one was on the other side. “I mean I know you and Peggy…ya know…”

Angie’s brow furrowed in confusion as Carla tried to find the right words.

“I know you two can’t, ya know, _sposarsi_ , but that’s no reason to be upset about it, I mean…”

“Get married? Carla, what are _you_ talking about?”

“Hey, Ange, don’t be upset, I know you haven’t told me nothing but…I get it, ya know? Peggy is real pretty, like _really_ pretty and she’s such a good person, she’s one hell of a ball breaker too, if she needs to be, you can tell, ya know? I mean, you don’t have to worry about no competition in me because I’m not…not that I think that’s bad or nothing, ya know? I have an aunt who…and I’m pretty sure my sister is dating her best friend, but anyway…”

Angie was at first a little horrified but then as Carla kept talking rapidly, she smiled and finally laughed.

“Oh, no, Car, I’m sorry, honey, you misunderstood…” she laughed again and Carla’s eyes went wide.

“Oh no, did I just make a strunze of myself? Why didn’t you stop me sooner?!”

“No, no, Carla, honey, wait,” Angie said, as she composed herself and then leaned over to peek at the door like Carla had, satisfied that no one was about to come in she said, “You’re not wrong about the Peggy thing. Just shhhh, about it okay?”

“Oh yeah, don’t worry, you won’t hear a peep from me about it,” Carla said and made a zipper motion across her lips. “Although, I _am_ going to give you knowing winks and smile about it sometimes because I think that’s so wonderful that you two…ya know,” she smiled widely.

“Fair enough,” Angie said, returning the smile and squeezed the hand Carla had put on her arm. “And thank you, I really appreciate you saying that; it’s great to know I can count on you.”

“Always, Angie, I hope you know that,” Carla smiled warmly and squeezed Angie’s arm. Then she got a puzzled look on her face, “So, if it wasn’t about Peggy, then what were you talking about just before?”

Angie didn’t really want to tell her because it was embarrassing and she didn’t want it to get around, but she now knew she could trust Carla with anything, she was probably as close to a sister as she’d ever get and her heart swelled at that thought, it was the first time she really thought of Carla that way, but she now realized that’s what they had been to each other for a while now.

“I lied to you this morning,” Angie whispered.  
“Oh yeah, how?”

“ _Aunt Flo_ didn’t come to visit,” Angie looked knowingly at her.

“Ohhhh,” It dawned on Carla and she asked, “Well, what then?”

“I had gotten a callback.”

“Honest to God, Angie?!” Carla got excited.

Angie now hated to say what she had to next, but she couldn’t lie to Carla now, not when she had been so sweet to her and was always looking out for her.

“Yeah, but…I didn’t get it.”

Carla pouted, “Aw Ange, I’m so sorry,” She said and hugged her tightly.

“Well, well, well…” Myra said, with a smirk. “I thought I was doing right by telling Carla to tell you to watch out for Miss Iowa, and here it shoulda been me warning Peggy about Miss Calabria over here.”

Carla sighed animatedly and rolled her head on her shoulders, “ _Potenza_! Quante volte le devo dire che la mia famiglia è di Potenza?!”

“There’s a difference?” Myra asked, even though she didn’t understand all the words, she got the gist.

Carla let out a growl and Angie held her back, just in case she wasn’t kidding around.

“Look, Myra!” Angie said. “I was just telling her that I didn’t get the part in another production. There’s nothing going on between me and Carla.”

“So, there _is_ something going on between you and Peggy though, am I right?”

Angie gave up and dropped her head.

“No, say no more,” Myra held up her hand dramatically. “I gotcha, your secret is safe with me.”

Angie nodded and smiled, “Thanks, My, I owe ya one.”

Myra tapped the side of her nose and quirked an eyebrow conspiratorially, “We girls gotta stick together,” she said, as Junie came into the backroom to take off her apron and get her rain hat and coat. “Right June?”

Junie looked at Myra and shrugged.

“She knows…” Myra said, like Junie understood what she was talking about.

Junie waved her hand at Myra dismissively and got her coat out from her locker.

Angie and Carla laughed.

“You tell her, June,” Angie said.

Junie nodded at Angie and winked.

Myra looked empathetic towards Angie, “I’m sorry to hear you didn’t get the part, kid. You’re a great actress, don’t give up,” she put her hand on her arm. “You’ll get something soon, I know it.”

Angie sighed, but then smiled, Myra couldn’t be trusted with a secret, and she was a ballbreaker sometimes, but she definitely was rooting for Angie to make it and she was a comfort in times like these. She put her hand on Myra’s shoulder and squeezed, “Thanks, My, I appreciate that. Now, lemme get out there, the customers will be wondering if we went fully automated,” she said, with a laugh.

After she left Myra looked at Carla.

“Carla, so what’s the big deal?” she asked, before letting Carla back out to the dining room.  
“With what?” She narrowed her eyes and waited for some comment about Angie and Peggy that she’d have to shoot her down for.

“ _Calabria_ , _Potenza_ , who cares, it’s all Italy right?”

Carla narrowed her eyes even more at Myra, “Your people are from Russia, yeah?”

“Belarus, yeah,” Myra said.

“What city?”

“Minsk,” Myra said, proudly, lifting her head in the air.

“And what’s the next biggest city?”

“Borisov, it’s not even a city really, just a town.”

“So, what’s the difference between the two, they’re all part of the same country, right?”

Myra’s eyes went wide and then narrowed, she said, “I get your point, sorry, doll.”

“Don’t mention it,” Carla said and went out the door to the dining area.

Carla wanted to make sure Angie was okay, so she waited for her to finish giving her customers their menus and followed her behind the counter.

“Sorry about that, Ange, I didn’t hear the door.”

“Don’t worry, Carla, she’s had me and Peggy together since before we were actually together.”

“Really? So…when did you two…”

Angie realized she hadn’t actually told Carla when she and Peggy had become a thing. She looked around; the dining room was light at the moment, with one customer at the far end of the counter near the wall.

“Almost three weeks ago,” Angie said, blushing a little.

“That’s wonderful, Ange, really. I’m so happy for you two. And don’t worry, it wasn’t obvious or nothing, you know, like just anyone could have figured it out. But you know how Myra is, I bet she’s got me and Mal together.” Angie laughed at that and Carla’s eyes got big, “Oh God, can you imagine?” she said, as she shuddered.

“But really, Carla, grazie. Like I said in there, I appreciate it, you don’t know what it means to have a friend to talk to about it.”

“Prego, Angie, don’t you worry, you’ll always have a friend in me. You just let me know, anything you need, you got it?”

“I got it,” Angie smiled at her, took her hands in hers and squeezed them in gratitude. Then she remembered the initial reason for Carla coming to look for her earlier. “So, you think Dottie’s up to something, huh?”

Carla nodded, “She looked really odd when Peggy left and I think I mighta saw her pocket something like it was stolen. I don’t know though, I’m not,” she furrowed her brow and asked, “Qual è il suo nome, you know from the feds? The one who nabbed Capone.”

“Elliot Ness,” Angie said.

“That’s the one. I’m not a great investigator like that, but I just have this _thing._ ”

Angie narrowed her eyes and chewed the side of her lip as she thought about what Carla had just said, ‘What would Dottie be trying to pocket and why would it involve Peggy?’ she thought. She knew there was something up with her overly cheery attitude, but she didn’t know what. Yet.

“Bye June,” Carla said and waved at Junie who was leaving. Myra came out in her coat and looped her arm through Junie’s and said goodbye to the ladies behind the counter.

Angie waved at them and then looked at Carla questioningly.

“What? I’m pulling the double tonight,” Carla said.

“Oh, Carla…”

“What?” Carla asked, shrugging and going to fill up one of her customer’s coffee cups. “She said she’d pick up Saturday for me.”

Angie’s mouth settled into a slight grimace and she shook her head at Carla.

“Yeah, we’ll see…”

*****

When Angie got back to the Griffith that night she was a little disappointed that Peggy hadn’t shown up at the diner and she started to worry that maybe she was taking her up on that stupid offer, to sleep in separate rooms. She and Carla had walked together to the subway stop and any time she saw a brunette woman about Peggy’s height and build her heart sped up, only to be disappointed when the woman turned around. She knew she shouldn’t be feeling this way, after all, she and Peggy were adults and they weren’t married, but still, she was surprised Peggy wouldn’t have at least said something.

Angie was up and off the bed in a second’s time when she heard a door in the hall bang closed, she pulled her door open quickly, looked out into the hall and was disappointed to see Lorraine standing outside her door, ready to go down to dinner.

“Heya Angie, you coming to dinner?”

“Nah, that’s okay, Lorraine, I’ve…I’ve already eaten,” she lied. The truth was she didn’t feel much like eating.

“Okay, then, see you later.”

“Yeah, see ya,” she said and closed her door.

She’d be a big girl and not worry, something kept Peggy at work and in the morning, she would know what it was and they’d have a laugh at how much of a kid she was about it. Especially, after having thought that maybe they should be able to spend a night without each other, just that very morning.

*****

On the plane right before the drop, Peggy noticed Thompson’s nervousness and tried to put him at ease. She needn’t have bothered, even though he could have used her advice, he chose not to take it and highlighted his position on this current team. She as a woman was relegated to following his lead, she just hoped that didn’t mean getting stuck in a tree.

As they met up with the Howling Commandos she really felt in her element and she started to get back some of the old fire in her belly. It was great to see the guys and to hear all their good-natured ribbing, they had been like brothers to her. Well, brothers that also killed bad guys when she decoded their position messages and lead the team to where they were.

When she and Dugan were in the truck together, she thought of telling him about Angie, but he had just brought up Steve and she got scared. This was Captain America they were talking about, the man that it made it all possible. The one who chose to die for his country, rather than try to stay alive to please his girlfriend. That was a little mean of her to think like that and now she was down on herself for being such a black cloud. It was never good to go into battle as one of those.

As she stole his cigar out of his mouth, she remembered there was a time that she would have smoked it, just to see him roar with laughter, but it seemed those days were long over. Not that she was counting fun out of her life, but when it came to people who knew Steve, she never felt good about appearing to have moved on.

“You smell bad enough,” she had said, as she chucked it out of the opening in the back of the truck.

“Yeah, and you used to be fun,” he said, annoyed.

“Once upon a time,” Peggy said, sighing, this was the first time that she really felt this part of her life was truly over. The field work with the Commandos and her life with Steve. She realized there would be one final thing that she would have to do to put some closure on that and it made her sad.

“Yeah,” Dugan said and sucked at his teeth. “I miss him, too.”

Peggy went quiet after that for a while and after another good belt of the bourbon she asked.

“Do you ever feel like you don’t miss someone enough?”

Dugan sat up and looked at her, “Peggy…”

She looked at him and smiled a tear-filled smile.

“I just…I don’t…I don’t know _what_ I mean…” she shook her head and took another swig from her cup.

Dugan reached over and took the cup out of her hand and belted the rest of it down, “Nope, it’s not drain cleaner,” he looked at her and grinned. “That’s a good sign.”

She was no where near drunk and he knew it, she knew he was just trying to get her to open up.

She laughed and swatted his arm, sighing again as she thought of what she wanted to say.

“I just,” she started again. “Okay, no, I won’t start that way again. What I’m trying to say was that…Steve was _such_ a good man. Sometimes, I take that for granted and I try to move on without him and there are times when I succeed but I always end up thinking that maybe I’ve moved on too quickly…”

He nodded his head, poured some more bourbon in her cup and handed it back to her.

“Peggy, I can unequivocally state that if Steve were here now, he’d be the first to tell you to giggle, to have fun, to run with mirth, to jump for joy, to roar with laughter, to roil with merry making and most importantly, to love with impunity. Not ten years from now, he’d tell you to do it _now_.”

She looked down at the cup in her hands and her thoughts ran to Angie, that made her smile through her tears.

“Well…” Peggy started.

“Hang on a moment, you didn’t…”

“Didn’t what?”

“Find someone, didja?” he said, with a huge smile on his face.

She chuckled and said, “To tell the truth…”

“Oh, Peggy! That’s wonderful! Who’s the lucky guy?” She looked at him and narrowed her eyes, he quirked an eyebrow and said, “Not that _Thompson_ is it?”

“Not on your life,” she said quickly and took another swig of the amber liquid to get the bitter taste that thought caused out of her mouth.

“Why not? He’s dishy. Isn’t that what you Brits like to call someone pretty?”

“He may be a dish, but he would never see me as an equal. I’d always be relegated to walking two steps behind and you know me-”

“If you had to do that, he’d have a hole in the back of his head so you could see through him,” He nodded his understanding and took another drink from his cup. He realized she hadn’t yet revealed who it was and then another thought occurred to him. He lowered his voice when he asked the next question, “This person wouldn’t happen to be a ‘she’ would it?”

Her head swiveled around fast and she stared into his eyes. He remembered that drunken conversation in Italy when they were alone and going on about their past loves. He was gracious and even tenderhearted in his discussion with her about that, but she still regretted revealing it, especially because at the time she was actively dating Steve. Now though, she was grateful to be able to reveal the truth and not have to speak in code.

“It is, as a matter of fact,” she decided to just get on with the truth telling and put her cup in between her knees on the floor of the truck bed.

“Awwwww, Peggy,” he drew out her name affectionately. “I’m so happy for you! What’s her name and where are you registered?”

She laughed at that, “Her name is Angela and we’ll be registered at Bonwit Teller, as soon as I get the nerve to ask for her hand in marriage.” Boy, it felt good to talk about Angie like that. Not that she was really looking to get married right now and especially because it wasn’t legal, but just to be able to talk to someone who wasn’t going to judge her and to talk about her relationship in an adult way, was freeing.

“Does she know you like her or have you gotten passed all that?”

“Oh, we’re…” she trailed off.

“C’mon, don’t be shy, speak to your Uncle Timmy.”

Peggy’s eyes narrowed at him, “Timothy, I would never tell my uncle details of the sort, so now I’m just going to dry up and sip my bourbon in silence all the way to Russia.”

“Okay, okay, okay,” he said, sorry he mentioned the word uncle. He cleared his throat and apologized again. “Sorry, that was weird, lemme start again.” He cleared his throat again, his voice sounded official. “Peggy, tell me about this woman you’ve met, have you and she been on a date?”

“I think I liked ‘Uncle Timmy’ better,” she laughed. “But yes, several in fact. I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty, but we’re a couple. I’ve even been over for Sunday dinner with the family.”

His mouth hung open in surprise, “Seriously, Peggy? That’s wonderful!”

“Thanks,” she smirked and took another sip. She didn’t want to get drunk per se, but it was cold and it was helping to warm her.

“So, what does she do? Where did you meet? What’s she like? You _have_ to tell me more and fast! I need some new stories, if I have to hear about Juniper’s mother again, I’m going to go AWOL.” His eyes went wide and he froze that way for a second.

Peggy laughed and then looked towards the front of the truck, gauging how loud she could talk and still be heard by Dugan but not be heard by the guys in the front of the truck. Satisfied she said, “We met at the diner where she works, but she’s studying to be an actress.”

“I bet she’s really pretty,” Dugan said, trying to picture it.

“Hey,” Peggy said and punched his arm again. “This is my story, stop jumping ahead.”

“Right you are, M’lady, a pox on me and all that other stuff,” he toasted her and said, “You have the floor.”

“I’m done,” she said, just to devil him.

“You can’t be!”

She laughed, “Now, where was I?”

“She’s studying to be an actress…”

“Oh yes, cheers. She’s on a callback now as a matter of fact,” Peggy turned over her wrist and looked at the time on the watch Angie had given her earlier that morning. “Well, it should be done by now. I wish I could have been there to find out how it went…”

“She’s really an actress, huh?”

“She is, but she waitresses in between auditions.”

“Where’s she from?” Dugan settled in to listen to Peggy talk about her new love and it filled him with relief. He had been especially worried about her since the last time they talked and then he kept tabs on her through Howard just to make sure she wasn’t getting too depressed, but he didn’t want to make her think she was being watched. He smiled as she told him about Angie.

“Originally she’s from… _Brooklyn_ as a matter of fact.”

“Oh, score there, Pegs, you fancy them Brooklynites.”

She chuckled and shoved him a little, “But then her family moved to Queens, and now she lives in Manhattan with me. Well, I practically live with her, really.”

“You have your own apartment together?”

“We live in an hotel for women, you know: no men allowed above stairs, curfew at ten, Obersturmführer Fry as the land lady.”

“Oh yeah, I know Miriam Fry…”

“I would have been surprised if you didn’t,” she said, truthfully.

“How is she?”

“Much the same, I imagine,” Peggy said and Dugan shuddered.

“Anyway, I was looking for a place to live, we had befriended each other, and she told me of a place next door to her that had recently opened up…”

“How lucky can you get? But let me guess, you pushed her away for about a month?”

“Not as long as that, Einstein, but yes, I didn’t want to move there,” Peggy took a drink as Colleen’s face popped into her head. “My job is too dangerous.”

“Yeah,” Dugan said and sat up again, taking the bottle and pouring each of them another cupful.

“That bottle must be magic, I think you’ve poured each of us about two bottles worth.”

“I’ve been giving you the _tiniest_ of amounts,” he giggled and she laughed with him. “So,” he steered them back to the conversation. “Since you’ve moved in there now, I’m guessing she prevailed.”

“She did, with the help of Jarvis.”

“He knows about you two?”

“No, and don’t tell Howard!” she warned. “I’ll tell him myself when the time comes.”

“Then how did Jarvis help you?”

“Well, I was helping them clear Howard’s name with this treason business and caught a finka in the thigh, on a mission one night in New Jersey.”

“At Mama Rosa’s Pizzeria right? You too? I asked for pineapple on my pizza and they shivved me…”

She laughed again and shook her head, then looked at him with a semi-straight face.

“Are you quite finished?”

“They gave me the ham though…”

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Done,” he said and nodded.

“Good,” she nodded back. “As Jarvis stitched me up, he lectured me on letting people into my life that could help me live it.”

“That guy sure has a way with words…”

“Sometimes and sometimes _not_ ,” Peggy said, a little perturbed by the betrayal she still felt from him.

“Lotta that going around lately, unfortunately. But we’re still good with each other, right, Peg?”

Peggy thought of her response to Mrs. Martinelli during their heart to heart and replied, “Right as rain,” she said, and then smiled at him.

“So, you met the family already, huh?”

“This past Sunday, as a matter of fact,” her smile grew bigger, remembering the day and how much fun she had.

“And they know about you two?”

“That’s the best part, her parents are very accepting of who she is and they have accepted me as her sweetheart,” Peggy blushed happily and looked down at the floor.

“Well, this girl has won my heart over, anyone that can make Margaret Elizabeth “Take A ‘Black Knife’ In The Leg And Snicker As She Gets Stitched Up” Carter, has my utter devotion. If you ever decide you and she don’t gel together anymore, please put in a good word,” he winked at her.

“I will be sure to… _never_ tell her about any of you miscreants,” Peggy laughed. “Ever.”

Dugan looked at her seriously, “She know about you…about this?” He swirled his finger in the air quickly.

“No, not yet,” Peggy said, embarrassed. “But oddly enough, her mother does…”

“Wait, you haven’t told _her_ , but her mother knows?”

Peggy nodded.

“How?!”

“She worked it out from the location of where I work.”

“That’s just…”

“She has a cousin in the SSR,” Peggy hesitated before revealing the next bit. “And her son was John Colombo.”

He sat up and started to shout, “You’re dating…John-”

She slapped a hand over his mouth and shot a look at him that could have killed if it was loaded with bullets.

He nodded to indicate he had control of himself now, but he furtively whispered, “You’re dating John Colombo’s sister?!”

She nodded, “Isn’t that such a small world?”

“Small, man! That’s miniscule…” He sat back and looked awed. “God, Johnny was a helluva guy wasn’t he?”

“He was,” Peggy said wistfully, nodding her head and took another sip.

Dugan sighed and then looked at Peggy with sympathy in his face, “I understand why you feel like you can’t move on without stomping on the past’s memories, Peg.” He put a hand on her knee and spoke from the heart. “But it sounds like you’ve got a wonderful woman and something with her that can withstand the test of time. Steve would be mad if you gave that all up for a memory.”

“I know and talking about it…about Angie right now, really helped me a lot. I have been dying to tell _someone_ about her, I mean _really_ about her, since we met.”

“Well, you’ll always be _Cap’s_ best girl, but don’t forget that you need someone like that for yourself now, you deserve it, and don’t let anyone tell you different, okay?” He looked seriously at her.

She nodded and said after a while, “Thanks, Tim,” pulling him in for a side hug.

“Ooh, watch the bowler,” he said, straightening the hat on his head just right.

She laughed and punched his knee.

“Around the other guys, though, I’m still gonna call you Cap’s best girl, okay?”

“Okay,” Peggy said, smiling.

“At least until I get the rest of this bottle in me and blurt out your story of Angie to them. It’s just so wonderful, Peg!”

She pointed at him warningly, “Whilst you sleep, I will shave that handlebar mustache to a ‘Hitler special’ blacken it with boot black and send your picture to Truman.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” he said, shocked.

“Oh, wouldn’t I, Timothy? Just you try me…”

“I’ll behave,” he said, contrite.

“Good boy,” Peggy said, with a chuckle.

“Woof,” he barked, dutifully.

*****

By the time midnight rolled around, Angie was moving into ‘Peggy might already be dead territory’, but she didn’t know who to call. She thought about calling the phone company, but she didn’t have a number to her office specifically and she didn’t want the hassle of strangers having to transfer her around. Then she thought about Peggy’s parents in England, it would be pretty easy to get the number, but it would be three in the morning there, and what if the authorities were waiting until the morning before they told them? No, she was just being dramatic, she would try to do some of those breathing techniques that Peggy had taught her a couple of days ago. They did help before, but she was still antsy.

Finally, she decided to just be an adult and wait to see Peggy the next day. She’d probably be back soon and she certainly have to be by morning.

With that thought she was able to calm her mind. Looking forward to seeing Peggy in the morning, she fell into a light sleep.

*****

Approximately four hours later Angie, woke up from a fitful sleep, the clock by her nightstand read four am. Getting up from her bed, she reached out and pulled her robe to her and put it on, it now seemed weird that she would be putting her robe on over her nightdress, as lately, she’d have been naked when putting it on. She shrugged and walked over to her door, put on her slippers and quietly padded out the door and to the door next to hers. She put her ear to it and listened.

Nothing.

Ever so quietly she tapped on the wood, just three short taps and then listened. She looked around in the hallway to make sure no one heard and were coming out of their apartments. Although, she had started rehearsing lines for things like what she was doing at Peggy’s door at four in the morning lately, so she’d have a good excuse ready. She lightly tapped three times, two more times, putting her ear to the door after each round of knocking. She sighed, disappointedly.

“Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse,” she said to herself and padded back to her room.

*****

All told, for Peggy, the Howling Commandos and the SSR, the mission had been somewhat of a success. They found out about a program the Russians had going for quite some time by the looks of it, training girls to carry out their assassinations and other undesirable missions. They also found out that Howard was not in fact, in Belarus and that he most likely was not selling blueprints to LEVIANTHAN, a point that Peggy thought Chief Dooley would actually be disappointed about. The only sour points to the whole mission was that Agent Li and Junior Juniper were killed in the Red Room school for girls, by one of the Russian girl assassins. Peggy vowed to avenge their deaths someday soon and find out more about this program so she could one day go back to Russia and shut it down and then hunt down and stop any girls in the States who were currently carrying out or waiting to carry out missions.

As she said goodbye to Dum Dum she felt a certain sadness, but also gratitude for what he did for her in the truck. He offered her to stay with them for the fight, but Angie popped into her head and she longed to hug her again, so she gracefully turned him down citing the United States and the SSR needing her skills to sort them both out.

With the Russian Psychiatrist, Johann Fennhoff and what was left of the SSR team, she went back to the plane and slept for a few hours, dreaming of firefights, girl assassins and Angie.

*****

At around noon, Angie had went over to her parent’s house, she left right after trying to eat some toast, but it felt like cardboard going down her throat. Right now, she was in her old bedroom, resisting the urge to throw herself on the bedspread and cry into her pillow, like she did after her team lost a game.

“So, you haven’t heard from her since when?” Mrs. Martinelli narrowed her eyes at Angie. She was going to kill Peggy. ‘Why did these kids today never listen?’ she thought and internally eyerolled.

“Since yesterday morning, she left-” Angie stopped herself before saying, ‘my apartment’ “the building, Carla said she showed up at the diner and then nothing,” Angie said, her voice trembling with worry.

“And you haven’t been able to get in touch with her work?”

“I don’t know, Ma, what am I gonna do? Show up there and what if she’s doing something important? I’ll look like a fool that doesn’t trust her, and then I’ll make her co-workers all suspicious and she might lose her job,” Angie said, and looked down, trying to find something to do with her hands other than pulling at them.

Mrs. Martinelli looked at her stressed out daughter and her heart broke for her. She saw the bags under her eyes from lack of sleep and remembered when she used to be that way over Pat on his missions. Her mother leaned forward and said, “I’m gonna go to hell for being a rat, but close that door.”

Angie’s brow furrowed as she got up from the bed and did what her mother told her to do.

“Now, I can’t tell you everything because I don’t know everything, but suppose Peggy were some kind of a…”

“Don’t you say, ‘putane’, Ma,” Angie set her jaw and her mouth was a hard line.

“Putane?! No, what are you talking about, _putane_?!” Mrs. Martinelli wasn’t sure, but she thought she had seen Angie ball a fist just before. Instead of being outraged that her daughter would think to even raise a hand to her, much lest a fist, she was impressed.

“I don’t know, I thought you were trying to imply that,” she said, backing down.

“Oh, Gesu Crist, Angie, no,” Mrs. Martinelli sat on the bed, looked up at Angie who had rested up against her door and started again. “Suppose she weren’t working for the phone company but were like a kind of a cop, what would you think?”

“I would think ‘why the hell hasn’t she told me this herself’?”

“Of course, and why don’t you think she’s told you yet?”

Angie was going to say that she must not trust her, but she really didn’t believe that. Instead she said, “Because she thinks she’s protecting me…”

Her mother nodded, “Now, I’m not going to tell you how I know about these things, but sometimes these people like Peggy get called out at a moment’s notice and they don’t have time to get in touch.”

Angie narrowed her eyes at her mother, “Or they leave a message and someone doesn’t give it to you on purpose.” She said, as she remembered the interaction with Dottie by the phone in the hallway of the Griffith before she went on her callback.

“Who, me?! I didn’t get no message…”

“No, Ma, I’m just thinking of something that happened earlier today. I think Peggy might have tried to get me a message at the Griffith.”

“Oh yeah, that place is lousy for messages,” she said, waving her hand dismissively.

“So, what do I do now?”

“What’ya mean what’ya do now? You put some make up on those bags under your eyes, you go over to the Fetzer’s and you keep your date with Millie. I made a lasagna for you to take over so you and her could have it for dinner.”

“I mean about Peggy.”

“Oh,” Mrs. Martinelli said, contrite. “Maybe tell her…tell her this,” she said with a smile for being so clever. “That you didn’t get her message at first, that you found out about from one of the other girls later on and ask her if she’ll tell you the truth. I don’t know if you want to test your relationship this early on, or even if you feel you need to. I wouldn’t think that she’s just trying to _toy_ with you. I’ll bet her job is really dangerous, sorry to say.”

Angie thought of the deep looking cut to Peggy’s leg that was stitched up unprofessionally, the way she could kick a man and practically knock him out and the two gunshot looking wounds on the back of her shoulder that she recently discovered in the shower and wanted to ask about but she decided not to say anything just yet.

She was doing that a lot lately when it came to Peggy. The file she had started so that she could file things away for later was becoming bigger, but she wasn’t necessarily doing that to be a doormat, she trusted Peggy and figured if she needed to know something she’d tell her.

So, Peggy was like her mother’s cousin Frankie, huh? That’s right, Angie knew about him too, but she never gave it away. Sometimes it pays to be small and have the ability to hide in a closet for extended periods of time when you’re eight.

Mrs. Martinelli watched as Angie worked all that out in her head and she was relieved when Angie’s face appeared to get happier. She knew then that she wasn’t about to break off anything with Peggy since her face gave off the look of happiness and not depression. At least she hoped that was the case, if she had just decided to break up with Peggy and her face looked that happy, she’d have to have a talk with her soon.

“Everything okay, Pip?” Mrs. Martinelli asked.

Angie looked up and smiled at her, “Everything’s okay, Mama.” She walked over to the bed, sat on it and hugged her mother. “Thank you, so much.”

“For what?”

“For giving up a confidence, I know that was hard for you.”

“I would do anything for my children and that’s that,” she said, and Angie could feel the shrug.

They pulled away and looked into each other’s eyes.

“So, if I just pretend I got the message, you would be okay with that?”

“Hey, _you_ have to live your life, what does it matter how I feel about it?”

“Because you’re my mother, I respect your opinion and I value your feedback.”

“How did you get so smart?”

“You beat it in to me?”

Mrs. Martinelli pulled away from Angie and swatted her arm, “Fresh!” She smiled then rubbed the spot she hit. Her face got serious, “I would be okay with whatever you decided.”

“What would you have done if it were Daddy that was off on a mission and didn’t get you a message?”

“Ooh, back then? I was so hot-headed; I don’t even want to know. Youse kids would have probably never been born, God forbid.” She crossed herself. “Knowing what I know now, though. I’d probably tread lightly and let Peggy tell me about her job on her own terms.” Her face got even more intense and she pointed at Angie. “But I’d watch her like a hawk.”

Angie laughed and pulled her mother into another hug, “I’m thinking the same thing.”

“Good, I’m glad you’re not going to pull a Grandma and throw all of her stuff out the window.”

“Who did she do that to?” Angie said, pulling out of the hug.

“Your grandfather, when he didn’t come home for dinner one night.”

“What happened?”

“He had fallen off the scaffolding at his construction site and they hadn’t been able to get word to her yet. When he was an hour late for supper, she took all his clothes and threw them out of the window, they were laying in a heap in the alleyway next to the house.”

“Oh Jesus, is that what happened? I thought some bums had left their clothes or something.”

“That woman has not been well for a long time, Angela,” Her mother said, as she tapped the side of her head.

“What was she like when you first met her?”

“Like an angel, but she showed her stripes pretty early.”

“How?”

“When I went to dinner at their place for the very first time, your father’s ex was invited and sitting right next to him. Your grandmother had set the places like a fancy, schmantzy dinner party, with little place cards in front of the dishes with names,” she said, bitterly.

“And what did you do?”

“I was going to make an excuse that I couldn’t stay and just walk out, but he looked so sorry about it all that I took pity on him and stayed. He changed the place settings though, ooh, his mother threw daggers at him boy…but, God bless him, he stood his ground.”

That story did two things for Angie, solidify her belief that her grandmother was just out to sabotage her family for no good reason and that her parents were the best people in the world.

“You need anything, you just call me up, okay?” Mrs. Martinelli asked.

“I will, Ma, thanks again,” she leaned in and kissed her mother on the cheek.

“You’re welcome, oh,” she looked at the time. “You better get going, don’t want to keep Millie waiting.”

“Ooh, yeah,” Angie said, getting up quickly to go get her coat.

Her mother followed her into the hall, “Get the lasagna in the fridge with the foil on it, 375 for fifty…fifty-five minutes, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Angie said, nodding, she really wanted to say something smart because she’d been helping her mother bake lasagna since she was three years old, but she decided not to be so “fresh” as her mother called her.

“Rachael got a date?”

“I think so, she said she’s meeting someone at a trattoria,” Angie said, getting the lasagna from the fridge.

“That’ll be nice, let her get out a bit, it’s been a while for her, I think. Some people don’t like going out with a woman who has kids,” she shook her head sadly. “Hey, take the other thing of garlic bread, Millie loves that too. Rachael said something about leaving stuff to make a salad, so youse two are all set.”

“Thanks, Ma. I’m starving…”

“You didn’t eat all day, huh?” Mrs. Martinelli asked, even though she knew what the answer would be.

“I just…I tried but it went down-”

“Like glass, I know,” Mrs. Martinelli said, empathetically. “I’m glad I was a rat; I don’t want my baby starving.”

Angie laughed, “God forbid, I’ll be like a twig,” she said and winked. “Okay, I’ll be back after Rachael gets back, she said around eight or so,” she said.

“Sounds good, you let Vinny take you home in the scash tonight though, none of that ‘It’s a nice night, I’ll take the subway’ garbage.” She said mimicking Angie’s voice. “You don’t have Peggy here to protect you,” she pointed at her.

“Hey, I can hold my own you know,” Angie showed her muscles. “But yeah, I’ll be dead on my feet by tonight.”

“Well, you try to have a good time, darling,” Mrs. Martinelli said, and gave Angie a kiss on the cheek. “Tell Rachael and Millie I said ‘hi’.”

“I will, Ma. See you later. Thanks, again,” Angie said, before leaving out of the back door.

“You owe me one, Peggy Carter,” Mrs. Martinelli said to the air.

*****

After the music they were listening to ended, Millie asked Angie, “You’re sad that your friend couldn’t come with you, huh?”

Angie narrowed her eyes at Millie and was going to lie but she really didn’t want to ever lie to this girl, so she asked, “How did you know?”

“When you can’t see, other things become your eyes…so I can hear when you’re sad rather than seeing it.”

“I’m sorry, Mil, I tried not to let it bother me, so that I wouldn’t bring you down.”

“Oh, no one else would have known, Angie, and you didn’t bring me down. Things like that used to happen to my Daddy sometimes and I would sound just like you do, trying not to let my Mommy know I was disappointed.”

Angie smiled at the girl who always amazed her, every time they were together, she was impressed by something this ten-year-old did or said. She did her best to get any shred of sadness out of her voice and get on with their reading.

“She’ll come another time, though, not to worry about that. Now, where did we leave off with the books part of this club last week, Mil?”

“You were reading that poetry from the guy who’s from New Jersey.”

“Ah yes, William Carlos Williams. Is that what you want to pick up from or did you have something else in mind?”

“What about that new book you told me you were getting last week? About the Kings?”

“Oh, ‘All the King’s Men’? I have that right here,” she said, reaching into her Brooklyn Library bag and taking the book out.

“Does it have any bad words?” Millie asked, hopeful sounding.

“I don’t know, Mil, but it sounds like you want it to, no?”

“I like hearing them, but don’t tell Mommy,” Millie whispered.

“I won’t tell, don’t you worry,” Angie whispered back.

Just then some light glinted on the window and Angie parted the curtains to look out at the street. She saw Rachael being dropped off by someone, she could have sworn it was her father’s car, the one Vinny sometimes drove. She narrowed her eyes and thought about what that could mean.

“Are you looking for the bad words?” Millie asked.

“Oh, sorry, Mil,” she said, opening the book and finding the first chapter. “Here goes.”

The book had them rapt with the first words, and one passage in particular, resonated with Angie.

“The end of man is knowledge but there's one thing he can't know. He can't know whether knowledge will save him or kill him. He will be killed, all right, but he can't know whether he is killed because of the knowledge which he has got or because of the knowledge which he hasn't got and which if he had it would save him.”

“Wow, that’s real…what’s the word for when something is something that’s going to stay with you for a long time?”

“Profound?”

“That’s it!” Millie said. “Profound…” she tried it out for herself. “I always learn at least one or two words when you read to me,” she lowered her voice to a whisper. “And maybe a couple of bad ones.”

“Oh, really? Is that right?” Rachael said, with a smirk as she came around the door and into Millie’s room.

“Mom!” Millie exclaimed. “No…that was just a joke, Angie doesn’t even _know_ any bad words, do you Angie?”

“I mean…maybe in Italian and a few Sicilian ones…” she said, looking mock contrite, with a glint in her eyes at Rachael.

Rachael laughed and went up to Millie who was sitting on the bed. She lifted her chin to see into her face. “Are you lying to me Mildred Fetzer?”

Millie hesitated, she didn’t want to compound a lie with another lie, just incase her mother was going to be handing down punishments. “Well, I shouldn’t lie, but I’m worried if I tell the truth you’re not going to let Angie come and read to me anymore.”

Rachael’s heart went out to her daughter, she was really just teasing her but Millie took most things as fact, so she had to quickly let her off the hook. “I’d never do something like that, sweetheart. Even if she were to teach you the _baddest_ words.” Rachael placed a kiss on Millie’s forehead and then looked over at Angie. “Besides, I’m pretty sure Angie doesn’t even _know_ the baddest words. Isn’t that right, Angie?”

Angie chuckled and then was serious, “Exactly, I have no clue what those words would be…”

“Goodie!” Millie was happy again.

“Which book are you reading today?” Rachael asked. “From what I was hearing it sounded really intriguing.”

“All the King’s…” Millie started but then she couldn’t remember the last word.

“Men,” Angie added helpfully.

“Oh, like the nursery rhyme. And it’s by…” Millie tried to remember the author’s name.

“Robert Penn Warren,” Angie said.

“Is that his new one?” Rachael asked.

“Just came out.”

“You pick such interesting books to read to her, Angie, I am really grateful.”

“Me too,” Millie echoed her mother’s sentiment.

“Unfortunately, it’s your bedtime young lady and I’m going to have to tell you to put your light out and go to sleep.”

“Awww, okay, Momma, if I have to,” Millie said, disappointed.

“Yes, you have to.”

“Okay, thanks for coming Angie and sorry about your friend.”

“Me too, Mil, thanks for having me and we’ll pick up where we left off next week.”

“Okay that’s great, good night.”

“Night,” Angie said and kissed her cheek. “Sleep tight.”

“And I won’t let the bed bugs bite!”

“That’s right,” Angie said with a laugh. It had become their way of ending their nights, especially when she babysat for her.

As Rachael was seeing Angie out she stopped her and said, “I really, really appreciate that you come here and read to her every week, Angie. She gets so much confidence from you, ya know? You never talk down to her or baby her. I wish I could be like that sometimes, but with her difficulties it’s hard sometimes to not give in. How do you do it?”

“I don’t know, I just treat her like I would any other person. Of course, she’s got some difficulties and you have to take those into account, but they’re not something that she can help and they’re also not something you can help, so you have to just treat her like any other ten-year-old. Even though she’s _worlds_ above any other ten-year-old, come to think of it.”

“She’s something special, that’s for sure.”

“She is,” Angie smiled at her.

“Too bad your friend couldn’t have come; Millie was looking forward to getting to know her.”

“Yeah, her job keeps her pretty busy, but maybe next week, although I won’t promise anything.”

“I know, you don’t have to tell me about jobs like that. Dr. Fetzer’s job kept him way too busy. But like you said, you just have to account for that, and treat it like any other job,” Rachael smiled. “You can’t help it and neither can she, right?”

“Right,” Angie returned the smile. She could tell, Rachael knew about her and Peggy and she wasn’t ashamed of it.

Rachael looked serious all of a sudden, “The job was fine, it’s when they tell you they have to go out of town on overnight trips that you should worry.”

“Uhhhmm…” Angie said, as that’s exactly what was happening. Except, she realized, Peggy didn’t actually tell her anything. Technically.

“I mean, he’s a podiatrist, how many overnight trips do you need to go on? I can see one every six months, maybe once every three months for some conference, but every weekend? He didn’t fool me.”

“He certainly didn’t,” Angie nodded.

“Tell your mother thanks for the lasagna and the garlic bread, I can smell it and it’ll make a wonderful left-over dinner for Friday night.”

“I’ll be sure to tell her, although Millie had a really big piece and I was starving so…”

“You better have left me at least a piece!”

“There’s enough there, don’t worry,” Angie laughed. “Garlic bread too.”

“Whew,” Rachael said, relieved. “You scared me. Sometimes I wish your parents would let us move in, I’d pay the biggest rent, just to be there for the meals.”

Angie laughed, “I know, I don’t really know why I moved out, but I guess I gotta be closer to work.”

“You get that part you were hoping for?”

“Not yet, Rach,” Angie said, a little downcast.

“You’ll get it soon, I know,” she said, with a confident smile.

Angie thanked her, said good night and made her way out of the front door.

She had so many people believing in her talent that she knew she should believe in herself; it was just hard to do that for herself.

*****

“Angie, I’ll be in the scash, don’t forget the stuff Ma said was yours in the fridge,” Vinny said, as he made his way out of the back door and down the steps to the car.

“I won’t,” she said, and looked at her father. “Did Ma go make a call?”

“Yeah, she said she had something important to check on,” he shrugged.

“Well, tell her I said goodbye, okay, Pop? I better get going before curfew.”

“Okay, darling, I’m sorry Peggy couldn’t have come,” he said, sadly.

“Yeah, me too, but next time, ya know, her work is pretty intense sometimes.”

“Well, it’s good that she’s got a good job, maybe you and Raggedy Ann can finally take the plunge,” he said, with a devilish smile on his face.

“Dad!” Angie scoffed, but then broke into peals of laughter. “You’re terrible!”

“I know, I know,” he said, chuckling then his face turned serious. “You okay?”

“I’m fine, Pop,” she said, sincerely.

“Okay, Pip, I trust you.”

“You should, because I am.”

“Good,” he said and brought her into a hug. “Maybe one day you and your mother will tell me all about it, huh?”

“We will, I promise, Pop, but first I gotta figure it out for myself.”

“Okay, but…”

“What?”

“You’d tell me if something was wrong, right?”

“I would, but I don’t think anything’s really wrong, I’m trying not to jump to conclusions is all,” Angie shrugged.

“Is Peggy in the doghouse, is that why she’s not here today?”

“Not yet, Pa,” Angie chuckled and hugged him. “We’ll see though.”

“Oh, I hope not,” he squeezed her. “I really like that one.”

“I do too,” she squeezed back tighter.

“Okay, you better get going, Pip, you don’t wanna miss curfew.”

“See you, old timer,” Angie said and winked after she pulled out of the hug. He bent down and gave her a kiss. 

“I’ll see ya, chickadee,” he said, winking back. “Tell Peggy I was asking for her when you see her.”

“I will and tell, Ma I said goodbye and thanks. I should get going, Vinny’s probably freezing out in the car.”

“Yeah, that heater is on the blink again, you might have to go thaw him out.”

Angie took her things from the fridge, smiled at him and left.

Once in the car she smelled something that confirmed her earlier suspicions. A woman’s perfume, she smiled as she remembered seeing the car that Rachael came out of earlier that night.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting, Vin, Pop had questions.”

“Yeah, I hope everything’s okay with Peggy, Ange.”

She was really touched that everyone she knew was disappointed at Peggy not being able to be with her tonight, it meant that they liked her and that they accepted her as a partner for Angie. She smiled, “I do too, Vin, I think it’s all perfectly explainable, I guess we just have to have a better message system.”

“You could get one of those services, that take messages for people, ya know, once you hit the big time.”

“So, when should I get it then? 1961?”

Vinny laughed, “It won’t take you that long to hit it, Angie. You shouldn’t be so down on yourself. Your break is coming.”

“I know, Vin, I know. Everyone else knows my break is coming, I just…”

“You just, what? You think you’re the first person to be rejected a few times by producers?”

“A few? how about 7?”

“Yeah, how about Uncle Bobby being rejected like thirty times before he got his first singing gig? And that was in one of those restaurants with the singing waiters in Bed-Sty.”

Angie looked puzzled at that, “ _Thirty_ , really?”

“Coulda been more actually,” Vin said.

“I never would have thought, he’s so right for opera,” she was astonished at that.

“Yeah well, sometimes there are other reasons.”

“Like what?”

“Well, like he was too thin, or then he was too fat, then he was too much of a guinea, then he was to Waspy, then he was too…ya know…”

“Donald Duck,” Angie said, unhelpfully.

“What, Donald Duck…oh you’re doing what we do to Pop, ya _jerk_ ,” he said with a smile. “Know _you_ know, too…”

“Unmanly,” Angie finished for him.

“Exactly.”

“I getcha, so…I’m not man enough?”

“Yeah, yeah, exactly, _that’s_ what’s keeping you from the plum roles that are going to Orson Welles,” Vinny laughed.

Angie laughed with him then said,“I get you, Vin, I’ll keep trying, but that secretary school is starting to look good,” she said, not too sadly, it was true that she had been thinking of taking her father up on his offer, especially after what happened yesterday.

Things went quiet between them, Vinny wanted to stop the car, pull Angie out and hold her up by her lapels shaking some sense into her. But he knew she was only half serious about secretarial school, she just needed some motivation to get back into loving the chase of getting her first role. He was working on something that would do just that, he hoped, but first he had to actually give her something concrete.

After a bit he asked, “Peggy gonna come with you on Sunday?”

“I don’t know, Vin…I have to ask.”

“Well, this time, try to ask before Ma gets mad and calls her herself.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that, I have orders put out at the Griffith that no matter who answers, if Ma asks for Peggy, they’re to come get me first,” Angie said.

“Good thinking,” Vinny said.

Angie took in a big breath to let out a sigh and she smelled the perfume again.

“Did you go out with someone earlier tonight, Vin?”

“Whatta ya mean?”

“Like, did you go out, ya know, on a date, with one of those female things?”

“You’re such a smart-ass, you know that?”

“I’m aware,” Angie smirked. “You’re doing a helluva dancing job there, Vin.”

“Dancing?”

“Around the question, stop with the evading already and answer it.”

“I mighta gone out with someone, yeah.”

“That’s great! Who with? Do we know her?”

“How’dya know it’s a her?”

“You saying you’re dating Louie and he wears Chanel number forty-six?”

“Ooh, don’t even kid,” he shuddered.

“So, who is she then, Vin?” Angie couldn’t believe he was keeping this a secret. If it were, who she thought, she would have blurted it from the roof tops, Rachael was a beautiful woman. Lovely figure, natural reddish-brown hair and bright green eyes. Not as beautiful as Peggy, mind you, but who was?

“Do you mind if I don’t tell you just yet? I mean, it’s kinda new and I want to be sure before I say. I mean, I don’t want to jinx it like, capisce?”

Angie smirked and her heart went out to him, she’d let him off the hook.

“Yeah, you of all people know that I know what that’s like.”

“I know,” Vinny said, smiling.

As the car pulled up to the Griffith and stopped in front, Angie got ready to get out and Vinny put a hand on her arm.

“Thanks, Ange,” he said, sincerely.

She furrowed her brow at him, “Why thanks to me? You’re the one giving me the ride, the pep talk and the brotherly advice.”

“I know, but I just mean, you’ve done a lot for me in the inspiration department over the years, and I hope to repay that very soon. That’s all I’m gonna say for now.”

“Oh, _two_ secrets that I have to work out now,” she smiled and winked.  
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure you already got the one worked out, but you’re nice for playing along.”

“Anytime, Vin,” she said, as she leaned in the car and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Tell Rachael I said ‘hi’, she said and then retreated, quickly shutting the door.

He shook his head, she did know.

“Give Peggy my best!”

She waved at him and made her way up the steps.

*****

When Peggy woke up, she checked her watch. From the time on it, she surmised they were almost home.

Home.

For the first time in a long time, New York had started to feel like home and that thought made her smile because now when anyone said the word ‘home’ she immediately thought of Angie and the little home they started to make together. To others, it might be just a sordid mattress on the floor and then breakfast together in the tiny area serving as a kitchen, but to her it was the first really normal domestic relationship she had. Months ago, even just weeks ago, she had put herself down for never really having one of those until she got out of this business, if at all and now she was steeped in domesticity and pining for it more than she would have thought. 

Reluctantly shaking off her reverie, she got up and found Thompson looking pensive as he stared out of the window on the plane. She moved on the seat and leaned up against the plane’s hull, taking a stab at trying to bond with him in some way again. After all, this mission would change her in the eyes of the team back home and they’d have to try to get along if they were really going to work together.

To her surprise, Thompson opened up and told her the real story of how he got his Navy Cross, and rather than judge him for it, she took pity on him and felt good that he was able to get that off his chest.

A half an hour later and they were back at the office, just finished debriefing all who needed to know what they knew. Thompson invited her out for a drink with the boys and even though she was dying to go see Angie, she decided to go with them, feeling that now things would be different and she’d be accepted.

Little did she know that Sousa had stayed behind conducting his own research and things would most certainly be different for her in the morning. But tonight, she’d go out with the boys and have that drink, toasting their relative success.

And then go wrap herself around Angie and never sleep apart from her again.

If she could help it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credits: Book excerpt from, Robert Penn Warren’s “All The King’s Men”. Published in 1946 by Hartcourt, Brace and Company.


	10. Someone To Watch Over Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peggy's back from her mission in Russia and it seems her next mission is getting herself and Angie kicked out of the Griffith.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is dedicated to all of you who are practicing social distancing like your lives depend on it. Uhhh, because it does! I know, you'd love to get out there and get your haircut since you're currently starting to look in the mirror and wondering why you keep seeing Bellatrix Lestrange staring back at you, but now is not the time to be foolish! Also, it pains me to have to say this, truly it does, but don't listen to that fool President of my United States and inject yourself with bleach. Eating a lemon scented Lysol wipe is MUCH tastier. ;-) KIDDING!!!!!!!!! Please, do not ingest any sort of cleaning products, the only thing it's likely to kill is yourselves. WOW, 2020, huh?! o-O

Angie lay in bed, curfew was over an hour ago, and it would be another night without Peggy in there. She tried not to be too upset about that, so she curled up inside the robe she wore to bed and inhaled, trying to concentrate on nothing, just her breathing and the scent of the robe. It was Peggy’s and she could smell her perfume on it faintly. That fragrance mixed with a little talcum powder made it all distinctly Peggy and she was just starting to relax.

Just then, a ruckus outside in the hall made her open her eyes, and she was up out of bed like the building was on fire. She could have sworn she heard Peggy’s voice and then a shriller one over the top.

Miriam Fry.

‘Oh Jesus,’ Angie thought as she ran to the door and opened it. Peggy looked shocked standing there with her arm up and her fist about to pound on her door.

“Miss Carter, I told you, you were past curfew and I could not allow you to disturb Miss Martinelli!” A frantic Miriam Fry said. “Miss Martinelli, I am _sorry_ , but Miss Carter said she must have dropped her key down the subway grating and now she is asking to room with you tonight.”

Peggy rolled her eyes and smirked at Angie who wanted to laugh but kept her composure.

Ms. Fry continued, “I have told her, she came in after curfew and she knows that is against-”

“It’s fine, Ms. Fry,” Angie cut her off, “we’ll be okay; how much is the fine?” she asked, looking into Peggy’s eyes. She was so happy to see her, she almost didn’t notice that she was drunk, but this was Lucia Colombo Martinelli’s daughter, Angela, and not much gets passed either one of them.

“Ten dollars,” Miriam Fry said, as she looked at the back of Peggy’s head that was swaying slightly.

“Can we pay it tomorrow morning on our way out, or do you need it now?”

“For you, Miss Martinelli, I’ll allow it to be paid tomorrow, but honestly, I shouldn’t allow her in here in that condition.”

“It’s an allergy, Ms. Fry,” Angie said, quickly coming up with a way to get Miriam to leave them alone and feel sorry for Peggy in the process.

“Excuse me?”

“She has an allergy to coconut, I bet she had something with it in it at her work conference and now she’s paying the price,” Angie said, all sweetness and concern for Peggy’s wellbeing. She put her hand on her forehead like she was feeling it for a fever. “Uh oh…” she said, gravely.

“W-what? Is it fever?” Miriam asked.

“No, not yet,” Angie said and Peggy laughed, she loved when Angie did these little skits to throw someone off the trail of the truth, they were really clever and funny. “Nope, no fever. But there’s the uncontrollable laughing…”

“Then what was the ‘uh oh’ for?” Ms. Fry looked puzzled and a little skeptical.

“Usually after the laughter, it’s time for the projectile vomiting…” Angie said, twisting her mouth down into a disgusted look towards Ms. Fry.

The look on Ms. Fry’s face slowly matched hers as the realization about what was going to happen to Peggy started to sink in. Peggy made a couple of choking noises to add to the act. Not too realistic because she _was_ quite tipsy and she didn’t want to make herself actually projectile vomit.

Ms. Fry quickly became empathetic but panicked and told them to get into the Angie’s room and go straight to the bathroom.

“Probably best to have her just stand in the running shower!” she said, as the door was closed in her face. “My word…” she whispered and then shooed the other girls back into their rooms. Dottie waited until Miriam was out of the hall and then narrowed her eyes at Angie’s door. Rubbing her wrist from the shackle she had removed a few minutes earlier.

As soon as they were in the room and it was evident Miriam Fry wasn’t going to be standing outside their door any longer, Peggy pulled Angie into a crushingly, tight hug. Angie at first stood there dumbfounded, after the performance she had to put on so quickly, the fact that Peggy was actually here, and the knowledge that she was also pretty drunk, she was a little slow to respond. She could smell the booze on her as soon as she had opened her door and she didn’t know how to feel about it yet. But Peggy’s presence, her body pressing into her own and the words of love she was whispering into her ear made her break down and hug her back in earnest.

Peggy had felt the tension and was contrite, “I’m sorry, darling, I didn’t mean to get this tipsy. The boys wanted to go out for a drink after our work was done. We were very successful, in large part to me, by the way and I wanted to do nothing but come back to you straight away, but I think they’re starting to think of me as one of them and I-”

Angie pulled out of the hug and looked at Peggy, even drunk and blabbering she was gorgeous, “Peg, I missed you so damned much…you have no idea, now shut up and kiss me.”

Peggy smiled and pulled Angie to her, planting a blistering kiss on her lips that lasted until both of them were out of breath.

“Oh, my darling,” Peggy breathed out after their kiss had ended. She pulled back and looked at Angie in the eyes and tried to focus.

Angie could see the unfocused nature of Peggy’s eyes and it made her smile. Besides the night they shared the bottle of schnapps, she had never really seen Peggy drunk and it was so cute that she was making her love her even more. It wasn’t just that she was drunk, but that she was letting her hair down and acting carefree. “Sober Peggy” wasn’t as strict or as stuffy as Miriam Fry, but Angie never really saw her act as silly as she did when she was drunk. Besides, the difference with that night and the schnapps was that they had both been a little drunk, so she didn’t have the clarity she did now.

“Those eyes, I dreamt of those eyes on the plane…” Peggy said.

“On the plane? You had to travel?” Angie was a little taken aback by that revelation.

“Yes, did you not get my message?”

“I did…I just didn’t think you had to leave the city.”

“Oh yes, dear,” Peggy put her hand over her heart dramatically. “The city was but a memory, and those eyes, burned onto my corneas. Every time I closed my own eyes, I could see them.”

Angie loved this version of Peggy. She was a poet really, and she guessed if she had been really stinking drunk she’d have done a poem for her as long as _Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight_.

“Is this the soliloquy you had for me?”

“Oh yes, and when I get my wits about me, I’ll have more of your virtues to sing. Right now though,” Peggy held Angie tighter. “I’m having trouble standing.”

Angie chuckled and tightened her grip on Peggy. She made sure she leaned her weight on her, “Come on, come to the bed, Peg,” she said, pulling her with her, trying to make sure she didn’t fall and crack her head in the process.

“Who’s the man-handler now?” Peggy said, looking into Angie’s eyes, lasciviously.

Angie laughed, “Well, you’re a little unsteady on your feet and I don’t want you to pitch over and bang your head.”

“I’ll have you know…I’m pretty nimble, Miss Martinelli,” she wiggled her eyebrows, stood on her own and lost her balance. “On second thought…”

Angie laughed as she hung onto Peggy, not allowing her to fall and walked with her over to the bed. She carefully laid her down, making sure she didn’t hit her head on the headboard or wall.

“I seem to have lost my key,” Peggy remembered that she was trying to look for it earlier in the evening.

“Yeah, Miriam said that you think you dropped it in the subway grating?”

“I lied, I don’t know where it was that I lost it. I don’t think I’ve had it in my purse since the other day…I thought maybe I left it here.”

Angie’s eyes narrowed, she remembered Carla telling her something about Dottie pocketing an item at the automat after Peggy left, that she didn’t want anyone to see.

“Well, no matter, Peg, we have one of your suits hung up in the closet, and some of your underthings in my bureau so you’ll be able to get changed, until we get you another key,” she said, as she started helping Peggy off with her shoes.

Peggy pushed herself up onto her elbows as she watched Angie taking off her shoes and smiled.

“What?” Angie asked, suddenly self-conscious.

“I love you, that’s what…”

Angie really blushed this time, the look in Peggy’s eyes was not unfocused now, it was clear and piercing. Angie felt a connection like none other in her life.

“Yeah?” she asked, smiling sweetly.

Peggy nodded, “You look out for me like no one I’ve ever had look out for me before.”

Angie was touched, but she also wasn’t sure of herself, so she laughed it off.

“I’m sure…Grant, looked out for you just as much, you said he was a really upstanding guy, right?”

“He was, one of the best guys I’ve ever known, probably _the_ best, in fact, but _you_ , Angela Martinelli…there’s no one like you…” It was true, Steve was the best man she had ever known outside of her father and brother, but he was preoccupied with saving the world. Angie was preoccupied with making sure Peggy didn’t die trying to walk across the room. Not that she would have ever prevented him from that preoccupation, she would surely have helped him through whatever he needed to do.

Just like Angie was doing for her now, without really realizing it. Peggy thought back to that newsreel she had seen with Captain America planning strategy with the rest of the Howling Commandos gathered around him and pictured herself in that role with Angie’s picture in the lid of her compass.

Angie blushed again from the look in Peggy’s eyes and then reached up Peggy’s legs to undo her garters. Her eyes grew wide, then hooded as she looked down at Angie, and Angie had to push the thought out of her mind, of a cartoon that she had once seen where the dog was looking at the cat like a big juicy steak.

After her stockings were carefully removed one by one, Peggy watched Angie go to the bathroom to wash them out for her. She looked around the room, a little unfocused and smiled.

Home.

She pushed herself into a seated position and started taking off her belt. That done, albeit after some difficulty, she put it on the armchair and started on the buttons to her dress. Angie came out of the bathroom, with her stocking shaper frames in her hand, to ask a question, she was pulling Peggy’s stockings over them to dry, she looked up and quirked an eyebrow at Peggy, who was doing a slow striptease for no one.

She chuckled and Peggy looked over at her and started laughing too.

“Here I thought I was being a seductress…” Peggy pouted and then realized something. “You’re wearing my robe, I’ll need that back from you in a moment. Take it off, fair maiden,” Peggy narrowed her eyes and tried to snap her fingers. Failing that she said dramatically with her hand over her heart, “For I have a dragon to slay…and her name is Miriam Fry!”

Angie shook her head and laughed at the sight before her, she quickly snapped the frames into place and went back into the bathroom to put them over the bathtub where they would finish drying and then made her way back to the bed, where Peggy was now lying on her back, her dress half unbuttoned.

She got on the bed and moved catlike up to Peggy, sliding up her body, and grinding into her at the last. She grinned deeper when she heard the moan, she was used to hearing by now, anytime she moved her body like this over Peggy’s.

“I know what you want…” Angie said, in a deep low tone that signified she knew she wanted sex.

“Y-you do?” Peggy said, feeling like a bowl full of jelly.

“Yes, but since you went off and got drunk by yourself, you’re not going to get it.”

Peggy’s eyes went wide in shock, “What? Why?”

“Because: you’re drunk, I’m not and I’m not going to take advantage…”

“But…”

“No ‘buts’, Missy, I’m not some letch that sleeps with drunk women,” Angie said.

“But we wouldn’t be actually _sleeping_ ,” Peggy said, pleadingly.

Angie smiled at that, Peggy was too damn adorable right now, but she wasn’t giving in, she knew what was about to happen.

“Besides, looking completely adorable, you also look exhausted. We’d get all into something, you’d fall asleep and then I’d have to go through years of psychotherapy, which I can’t really afford, to feel better about myself. No thanks, toots, we can resume dirty activities in the morning,” Angie said, wiggling her eyebrows up and down at Peggy.

“But I’m not really even drunk and I shall prove it,” Peggy said, as she sat up. She moved Angie out of the way and got up to stand. She immediately regretted it as her head started to spin and she lost her balance again.

Angie, who was ready for something like this, had been crouching on the bed to give her better leverage, when Peggy got up and she could see her unsteadily standing, she caught the back of her dress and held on with all of her might. Peggy was stunned as she hung in mid-face plant, surprised that she didn’t follow her body’s momentum to the floor. She looked down and saw her chest, hanging out of the opening in her dress, and admired the lace handy work of her bra. “Would you look at that…”

Angie looked in the mirror directly across from them on the wall and laughed. Peggy picked her head up and saw what Angie was looking at in the mirror. “I’m all exposed,” she said, giggling.

“Yeah, and what else do you see?”

“My guardian Angela…”

Angie’s heart melted at that, and a tear threatened to come to her eye, but she pressed on and asked, “And what else?”

“I’m drunk,” Peggy said, admitting what Angie knew as soon as she opened the door to her room tonight.

Angie got down off the bed but still held onto the back of Peggy’s dress, she then pulled her upright and helped her sit back on the bed.

Peggy looked at her with awe, “You’re strong…”

“I’ve had occasion to do a push up or two, once in a while,” Angie winked at her.

“I think I would have broken my face, if you hadn’t held me back by my dress,” Peggy said, sounding very grateful. “Which I might need help taking off now, actually.”

“Don’t you worry, Miss Carter, I’ll always help you take your dress off,” Angie said, her voice dripping with innuendo.

Peggy felt that delicious feeling in her stomach and regretted “going out with the boys”, because she knew Angie to be right, as soon as they got into anything, she’d probably fall asleep within minutes.

“Why, oh, why did I drink so much?!” Peggy complained to the ceiling as she lay there, letting Angie undo the rest of her buttons.

“I dunno, peer pressure?”

Peggy just remembered something and lifted her head, “Frankie says hi.”

Angie narrowed her eyes at her, “My mother’s cousin?”

“Jack’s brother was your mother’s cousin?” Peggy said, confused. “Wouldn’t that make you and Jack…”

“No! English, don’t even go there. You mean Francis? His friends call him Frankie, but the family always called him Francis,” Angie shrugged then asked, “You went to the Dublin House?”

“I didn’t realize it until we were already there and by then it was too late.”

“Did you tell him you knew me?”

“Why do you think I gave you his regards just now? Now who’s the one who’s drunk here?” Peggy lifted an eyebrow at Angie and smiled crookedly.

Angie laughed, “Sorry, I just…I didn’t expect you to meet him yet.”

“Neither did I, but he’s a really nice guy. I’m glad I did meet him and when I’m not so blotto you and I can go back there and meet him together. I told him we would. Don’t worry, I didn’t make an ass out of myself and challenge him to an arm wrestle. It’s just that Thompson was making references to me not being able to hold my liquor and it got my hackles up…”

“Thompson…you work with him at the phone company?”

Peggy realized she had slipped and revealed one of her co-worker’s names.

“Yes?”

“Yes, you do or yes you don’t?”

“Both?”

Angie laughed and shook her head, “C’mon W.C. Fields, let’s finish getting you undressed and sleeping off that bender. I just hope your head doesn’t kill you in the morning.”

After Angie had taken Peggy’s dress and garters off and she was down to just her bra and panties, she helped her into the bed again and put the covers over her. Looking down at the almost slumbering figure sprawled under the covers, she figured by the time she got back from the bathroom she’d be out like a light. She bent down and kissed her on the head and Peggy happily mewed something unintelligible, but she could tell it was a loving endearment for her.

A few minutes later Angie was back from the bathroom, took off Peggy’s robe, that she had been wearing and got into the bed next to her. Peggy felt the movement and opened her eyes, staring into Angie’s own surprised eyes.

“I thought you were asleep.”

“It’s true, the pull of sleep is getting hard for me to fight off, but I couldn’t really sleep until I said, thank you and that I love you so, _so_ much,” Peggy said, as she pulled Angie to her and captured her lips in a loving and thankful kiss. “Jesus,” Peggy said as it ended. “That’s like heaven…” She said in wonderment and then closed her eyes again.

Angie smiled and said, “I love you too, sweetheart.” She kissed Peggy’s cheek and then settled into her side. She was so happy to have her here that the underlying fright and anxiousness seemed like a distant memory already. Quickly, she realized that she was also dead tired. She lay her head on Peggy’s chest and listened to her strong heartbeat mete out a steady rhythm, it soothed her even more and she let the call of sleep pull her into its arms, too.

*****

A few hours later, Angie felt movement but didn’t open her eyes, she had fallen into a deep and unbroken, until now, sleep. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and tried to focus on what it was that woke her up. A body slinked up hers and the face came into view, her smile turned to a horrified look as Dottie smirked back at her.

Angie woke up out of her curiously odd dream and sat straight up in bed, she looked over and Peggy was gone. She was about to get up and see if she had gone back to her room when the bathroom door opened and Peggy came out of it.

Angie noted that Peggy walked very steadily and slinked up to her as Angie had done to her earlier that night, and as Dottie had done in her dream. She still tried to shake that from her mind, and thankfully, Peggy’s actions were helping to do just that. Angie laid back on the bed as Peggy pushed her down by her shoulders and placed herself fully on top of Angie, comfortably settling between her thighs.

Angie could no longer smell liquor on her breath, but toothpaste.

“Mmm, minty fresh, just like the advertisement says,” Angie said, smiling as Peggy was leaning in for a kiss.

“I had to get up to go brush. My breath was sadly humming,” she said, shaking her head disappointed in herself and then captured Angie’s lips in a slow and needy kiss. After the kiss ended, she asked, “How is it that _your_ mouth is always so sweet?”

Angie smiled, she wanted to say something clever and funny, but the way Peggy just kissed her and the way she was laying on top of her, was making her unable to form coherent thought.

Peggy suddenly got up and Angie felt disappointed, but she quickly was happy again because Peggy was taking off her bra and panties, looking at her with devilish glint in her eyes all the while.

“I have recovered more than sufficiently. See?” Peggy stood on one leg, put her arms straight out to both sides and didn’t lose her balance in the slightest. She stood properly, winked at Angie and asked, “Might I come under the covers with you for lascivious purposes, Miss Martinelli?”

“Not at all…” Angie said, lifting the covers.

“Love the chemise, but that simply won’t do,” Peggy said, shaking her head.

Angie had it whipped over her head and thrown a perfect curveball, over to the armchair inside of three seconds. Peggy stood impressed.

“There, now get in,” Angie commanded and held the covers up for her.

Peggy saluted, smiled deeply and crawled over Angie like she had before, settling herself comfortably between her thighs. Both women gasped at the feelings it created in them, to be joined, somewhat, by their centers. It was something they had never done before with each other and Peggy felt emboldened by the position she was in. As they kissed, Peggy started to move her hips and Angie moaned deeply into her mouth.

They stopped kissing, briefly, for Peggy to look into Angie’s eyes and silently ask for permission to continue what she was doing. Angie gave it by locking her legs behind Peggy’s posterior and it was Peggy’s turn to moan this time, she could feel the moist flesh beneath her womanhood and the knowledge of what was causing that alone, made her tremble with desire.

As soon as Peggy started a rhythm the bed frame squeaked and they both froze. Angie unlocked her legs from behind Peggy’s back and reluctantly, Peggy extricated herself from between Angie’s legs and moved to get off of the bed. They both took an end of the mattress and situated it in its lately usual place on the floor. As they repositioned themselves the way they had been on the bed just a few moments ago, they smiled at each other for their resourcefulness.

Peggy started up the same rhythm and Angie closed her eyes, feeling the pressure on her center and concentrated on the feeling of Peggy’s warm weight on her body, it was intoxicating to her.

Peggy at first had been unsure of herself, only acting on base instinct, but she was an imaginative woman and besides, she had spied on Howard’s movie reels when she was staying in his apartment, before she found the music and the booze. She still had the image inside her head of those two beautiful actresses doing exactly this, before she had gotten embarrassed and switched it off. It had been something she thought about doing to Angie right after she saw it, and she was quite excited to be doing it now.

While there wasn’t too much contact with their actual sexes, the friction that was caused by Peggy’s movements and the fact that they were incredibly hot for one another, were all they needed. Just the thought of what they were doing was increasing their libidos to ever soaring heights.

Peggy looked down into Angie’s face and saw that she had her eyes closed, and while she looked beautiful that way, it wasn’t what she wanted for this moment and she moved her lips to just next to Angie’s ear.

“I want to see you, darling,” she whispered. “I want you to see me, can you open your eyes for me?” Peggy moved her face to just above Angie’s and looked into the dark blue pools that she had dreamt of on the plane back from Russia. “Thank you, my angel.”

Just then she started increasing her movement and Angie locked her ankles behind Peggy again, moving her body in the opposite rhythm that was needed. Their hands were all over each other, trying to touch and feel every last shred of skin on each other to seek out more feeling from the flesh beneath their fingers, giving more pleasure in return.

Angie got a desire and broke eye contact with Peggy to carry it out. At first, Peggy was a little disappointed but as Angie pulled her up slightly, bent her head down and then captured a nipple in her mouth she quietly groaned out a thank you.

“Ohhhh, my sweet darling,” Peggy said, as her desire grew tenfold. Peggy’s contact with Angie’s center was not as intense due to their slightly altered positions but Angie couldn’t care less, the amount of pleasure that she derived from giving pleasure was something she felt blessed to have and she kept her attention to Peggy’s nipples going in earnest, as she heard the approving sighs and whispers of love and gratitude from her, letting her know her efforts were more than appreciated.

As Peggy felt that her libido was on the track to cresting, she pulled away slightly and Angie looked up at her. “I want to…finish…together, do you think we can?”

“I think that can be arranged…” Angie said, smiling.

Peggy slid down slightly and took up her original position, looking directly into Angie’s eyes and starting up a blisteringly fast rhythm that had them both riding the wave of pleasure towards its apogee. Peggy was close to the end and she knew she was in danger of being loud, so she mashed her lips to Angie’s and when Angie sucked her tongue, Peggy was done for. Her torso went rigid as her lower half continued to buck into Angie’s, who, when she realized that Peggy was climaxing, felt her desire shoot up even more and then she too was breaking over the wave and bucking up into Peggy as her vagina orgasmed strongly. They continued to kiss violently as their bodies melded together trying to hold onto the feelings coursing through them. Angie locked her ankles behind Peggy’s back again and held her in place as she bucked strongly a few more times and groaned low and slow into Peggy’s mouth. After a while, Angie pulled back to get much needed air into her lungs and her eyes closed in sheer pleasure, she shook her head side to side a couple of times as the spasms rocked her strongly.

Peggy smiled at the look on Angie’s face, as she saw the pleasure she had created engulf her. Angie couldn’t do anything with her brain besides moan right now, but her fingers instinctively knew what would provide Peggy with some pleasure as she rode out the multiple orgasms that had hit her, and she lightly scratched across Peggy’s back, not to hurt or scar but to enhance the feeling of her own pleasure. Peggy groaned as she felt Angie rake her nails lightly across her back, her skin felt alive and the scratches were serving to funnel more pleasure to her center. She planted another kiss on her lips and swirled her tongue around Angie’s in gratitude for the pleasure she had received from just watching this beautiful creature climax in her arms.

When their bodies had no more to give, they lay clinging to one another and kissed deeply once more. Peggy made no effort to move off of Angie who still had her ankles locked behind Peggy’s lower back. Neither one was complaining about the position they were in, in fact, both were content to be there in the tightly packed bundle they made together. Though Peggy did wonder if she was crushing Angie a little bit.

When their kiss broke Peggy asked, “Am I too much for you, darling?”

Angie was puzzled by that, she knew their love was pretty intense, but she didn’t think of why that would be a bad thing. “Your love?” she asked, tentatively. Her first roommate had said something like that to her, right before she told her she was going to be married.

“What?” Peggy was also now confused then it dawned on her. “Oh, no sorry, my body. Am I too much for you like this?”

Angie sighed relieved and pulled Peggy to her even more, “Not at all, in fact, I love it, you have my permission to stay like this all day.”

Peggy chuckled, it was their running joke of Angie trying to get Peggy to play hooky and Peggy ultimately having to refuse and dutifully go to work. Things in the Stark case were moving quickly and she now had a shot at doing some real detective work.

Peggy looked at Angie and she understood without having any speak any words. At least she could say she tried. One of these days, she hoped it would work and they’d spend a blissfully sexually charged night and then lazy day in bed. Hopefully.

“I missed you so much, darling,” Peggy said, finally, after having basked in Angie’s arms for a couple more minutes and pulled back to look in her eyes. She leaned in for another kiss.

“I missed you too,” Angie said, when their kiss broke and she could form words.

Peggy finally started to extricate herself from the clinch they were in, even though Angie had said she was fine, she was still a bit self-conscious about possibly hurting her, but Angie tightened her thighs and ankles around Peggy and kept her where she was.

“I’m really not hurting you?” Peggy asked, not sure she wanted to hear the answer to that.

“Not one bit,” Angie said. “I love to be smushed by you.”

“What would Mal at the automat think? A paper-thin Angie Martinelli unable to hold the bowls of soup long enough to get them to the customers at the counter?”

“I’m going to forget you just said the words, ‘Mal at the automat’ while we’re holding each other in nothing but the skin God gave us…”

Peggy laughed and bent her head down for another loving and grateful kiss. After a few more minutes of a serious make out session, Peggy did manage to extricate herself from Angie’s locked legs and she rolled onto her back, lying next to her.

“I know I’m going to sound like a broken record, but that just keeps getting better and better.”

“You’re not wrong, Peg, I can’t believe it either,” Angie said, still amazed at what she just experienced.

At the risk of bringing up past loves and any hurt feelings Angie might have about the relationships she had, Peggy asked, “That hasn’t happened to you before?” She was a bit shocked at that thought.

“I…,” Angie, too, was a bit tentative about talking about her past love life, just because she didn’t want Peggy to get jealous or think she was a loose girl but she wanted to be honest in this relationship, as much as she could help it so she said, truthfully, “I can unequivocally say that I have never, _ever_ , experienced the intensness…no, that’s not right,” she was still in post-orgasmic bliss and her words weren’t coming to her correctly just now, “ _intensity_ of what happens to me when I do that with you.”

“You mean, ‘The things we don’t like to talk about in the daytime’?” Peggy said, rolling her head to look at Angie and smirking.

Angie looked over at her and laughed, “Someday we’ll like to talk about it in the daytime, and do it in the daytime and…”

Peggy sighed, “When I can get some time off, yes, dearest, we will,” she said, hoping that Angie wouldn’t press her about her job just now, she was going to tell her very soon, but she didn’t think now was the appropriate time to discuss it.

Angie, in fact, was going to ask about her job, but she also didn’t want to go into it when they just had sex, at least that’s how she reasoned it.

Peggy rolled over on her side, looking at Angie, “I almost forgot, how did your callback go?” She smiled at her, “Good news I hope?”

Angie sighed, and Peggy reached for her hand straight away.

“I didn’t…it didn’t work out. The producer was really nice though, Jerome Robbins, he gave me his card and said if I get an audition in one of his productions he’d try to come see me to give me notes on how I did,” Angie said, hopeful that he would keep his word.

“Well, that’s a start at least, I’d expect most of them to say ‘Cheers, thanks a lot! Next!” Peggy said.

“That’s about how it goes, alright, except for the ‘cheers’ part, they just say, ‘Okay, doll, we’ll give you a call! Next!’”

Peggy leaned down and gave Angie a kiss on the cheek, “I am very sorry, that you didn’t get the part, darling. I know you’re a wonderful actress and you’ll be getting something soon.”

“I know, that’s what everybody says. I don’t know why I don’t see it,” Angie said.

“It’s very hard for us to see our own worth. Years ago, that was my problem as well. I was resigning myself to a life that I thought I wanted to live, but someone put a mirror up to my face and showed me that wasn’t what I was made for, what I wanted to be,” Peggy said. “I’ll hold that mirror for you, if you’d like, because I know you’d see someone who is very talented and that needs to just believe in herself.”

Angie slowly smiled at Peggy and pulled her head down for a slow and grateful kiss. When it ended Angie said, “You weren’t lying, you _were_ going to start a soliloquy of my virtues. I guess this counts as the morning one?”

“Yes, if you’d like. Then I will endeavor to call you during my lunch hour and give you the afternoon one. Are you working this afternoon?”

“Actually no, after the breakfast rush I’m off both today and tomorrow. Carla was trying to work the double on Saturday for Myra, but I’m going to split the shift with her so she doesn’t have to stay so late, I think her Ma has an appointment. You can call me here, or just put two soliloquies together tomorrow night. I’m easy.”

“You’re wonderfully, good hearted and complex and I love you more than words can say.”

“I think you just said a few good ones right there, English,” Angie said, smiling.

“Now, I do have to apologize again, I just remembered that I also missed a date with you and Millie for my induction into the book club.”

“Yeah,” Angie said, a little disappointed but trying not to show it. “I gave her your regards and said you’d try to make it up to her.”

“I…I can’t promise anything dear heart, I want to, but I feel I’ll muck it up again and then I’ll disappoint you both and I can’t really take that right now. I…I have something to tell you, but…”

“Peg,” Angie rolled over onto her side and looked Peggy squarely in the eyes. “You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to right now. I can wait.”

Peggy lay back on the bed and let out a frustrated sigh, “I should be able to tell you…you shouldn’t have to be left in the dark.”

Angie put her finger over Peggy’s mouth and said, “Shhh, all in good time, my pretty, all in good time.” She smiled and winked at her.

Peggy was puzzled, “What’s that from? Sounds familiar…”

“You don’t know ‘The Wizard of Oz’?”

“Should I?” Peggy asked, innocently.

“That’s it, I’m going to sleep in your room! I’ll just break in, that’s all,” Angie started to get out of the bed and Peggy flung her arms around her, stopping her progress.

“Don’t you dare! I will never, _ever_ let you say that again,” Peggy said, not really joking. “You suggested that once before and then I got stuck at work for two days and it was hell not being able to be with you like this. So, no, none of that rot from you, Miss Martinelli.”

Angie leaned back into Peggy and marveled at the strength she possessed. She twisted her head around and captured her lips in a needy kiss. Her libido was steadily rising and she hoped that Peggy wasn’t tired because she was ready to go another round with her.

The kind of round that would have them gasping for air and floating down from on high afterwards.

*****

In the morning, Peggy watched Angie get dressed and she was really regretting bringing Johann Fenhoff back on the plane with her, because now she had to go interview him. She hoped there was a lot he could tell them about the operations of the facility in Russia, especially of the girl’s assassin training school. The one that chained the girls to their bed as they slept to not only stop them from running away, but as an intimidation technique. It was making Peggy mad just thinking about it.

She particularly regretted having to go interview Fenhoff, when Angie was pulling up her stockings, smoothing them on her legs and then fastening them to her garters. Peggy started to feel hot and her arms broke out in full goose flesh.

She had to tamp down those feelings down because she had hoped to convince the chief for her to take this part of the investigation over, and hopefully get a team together to find the female Russian operatives in the States as well as in Europe, to shut them down and simultaneously shut down the facility in Russia. If this was the only other real mission they gave her at the SSR, she’d gladly take it if she could save one girl, but she wished she could save the whole lot of them.

Angie blushed when she saw Peggy’s stare and Peggy realized she still had the same lascivious countenance that she had before, she smiled and apologized for staring.

“I’m becoming a letch, watching girls get dressed in their garters and thinking libidinous thoughts.”

Angie finished snapping her stockings in place and sashayed over to Peggy wantonly.

“You letch away, Peggy Carter, I’m all yours in that department,” Angie said, before capturing her lips in a searing kiss. When the kiss ended, she leaned her forehead against Peggy’s, “These are _your_ garters and stockings, by the way, so I can feel you even when I’m not with you.”

Peggy pulled back and the look on her face made Angie want to kiss her again, so she leaned in and did just that. Not being able to form a coherent thought for a while was not Peggy’s normal mode of operation, but with Angie lately, she’d been working out of that exact mode for days. She just accepted it as normal and picked up her purse and coat automatically, expecting to gain her brain functions back when she left the flat.

“Hey, hang on there, partner, you’re forgetting something…” Angie said, holding on to Peggy’s shoulders and turning her around.

Peggy looked at her puzzled.

Angie quirked an eyebrow at her and pointed down to her feet, “Your stockings wouldn’t last a minute on that sidewalk outside.”

Peggy looked down at her shoeless feet and shook her head to clear the cotton out of it.

“Thank you, Angie, that would have been painful, to both my reputation and my feet.”

“You okay?” Angie looked concerned.

“Perfectly fine,” Peggy said, not really fine, but trying not to make a big deal out of the fact that she was extremely titillated by the fact that Angie was wearing her stockings and garters so that she would feel something of her throughout the day. It wasn’t exactly a bad problem, but she didn’t know how she would exactly last through the day until she could come back and be with Angie again.

Angie pulled Peggy’s lapels out of her pinstriped jacket and smoothed them in place as she looked at her face and talked about their day.

“We should really plan our day, maybe that’ll snap you out of whatever’s taken hold of your brain.”

“Plan, yes, planning is good,” Peggy said, grateful to Angie for helping her with her current state of uncontrollable libido, however, it _was_ a little counter-intuitive because she was in such close proximity to her.

“Okay, so, you’re going to come to the automat this morning, correct?”

“I’m sorry?” Peggy asked, she hadn’t really heard Angie.

“Automat, this morning?”

“Oh, no, sorry, I can’t I have to go straight into work to…I have a full list of…my calendar is full and I simply must finish up some projects.”

“Okay then, but I think we should plan on staging a show at the automat when you have time, English.”

“Stage a show?”

“Yeah, people are starting to guess correctly about us,” Angie said, as she picked up her jacket brush from the box on her shelf and started brushing Peggy’s shoulders to remove any lint. “Right now, it’s only Carla and Myra,” she tutted. “Myra, I usually wouldn’t trust her with any kind of secret, but Carla and I cover for her a lot, so I’m pretty sure we’re safe there, but if Mal catches wind,” she pointed the brush at her. “Number one, I don’t want to be in his sordid fantasies and number two I can’t afford to lose that job right now, or I really will have to go to that secretary school.” She resumed brushing the sleeves of Peggy’s jacket and pressed her shoulders so she would turn around and do the back of her jacket. “So, you just follow my lead for the most part, I’ll put on a little show, give you your key there, you give me the pep talk about my acting that I need because I’ll tell you I’m about to give it all up…we’ll be square,” she said, moving Peggy’s shoulder’s so that she would turn back around.

“You really are a wonderful planner; we could have used you during the war,” Peggy said, with an awed smile.

“Don’t think I didn’t try to sign up a few times,” Angie narrowed her eyes and nodded her head. “Ma wouldn’t let me because Pat had just died and even though I wouldn’t be in combat she wanted me close to home,” she said, putting the brush away. “I threw myself into the 4-H and some war related funds and supplies drives. I collected the most rubber for the greater Queens area,” she finished, proudly.

Peggy smiled and leaned in for another kiss and after it broke, she said, “You constantly delight and amaze me. I’m so glad I took my friend’s advice and went to the automat for lunch that day…”

“You’ll have to introduce me to your friend, so I can thank them, have I seen him in the automat already?” She asked, alluding to “Mr. Fancy”.

Peggy shook her head as she alternatively balanced on one leg, putting her heels on, “No, not yet, but you will soon, I promise. Now, I must be off. I’ll see you here tonight?”

“You betcha,” Angie said, giving Peggy another quick kiss. “Maybe we should see a movie, I hear they’re playing a revival of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ down in the village.”

“This bothers you that I have not seen this movie…”

“No end…”

“Very well, fancy some Chinese food afterwards? I know a really good spot down in Chinatown that I’ve been dying to get back to.”

“Oh my God, it’s not Port Arthur, is it? I love their dumplings!”

“The very same,” Peggy said, with a smile. “It’s a date?”

“It’s a date,” Angie beamed and rubbed Peggy’s arm as she went out the door.

*****

Peggy felt really pleased with herself as she started to question Fenhoff about the Russian girl’s training school. She felt close to uncovering information that would help her shut it down and possibly find the woman who was responsible for the theft of Howard’s inventions. It would clear his name and then she would be happy to introduce Angie to him. However, that posed problems in and of itself because he was such a cad with women and she didn’t want to have to punch his face for looking at Angie wrong. He had already commented on her voice sounding nice when he had to hide out at her place a couple of weeks ago and Peggy wasn’t going to take any chances. This meant she had to tell him about them being a couple before it got out of hand. Suddenly, the task of interviewing Fenhoff didn’t seem so daunting.

But Chief Dooley took exception to her line of questioning and hauled her out of the office just when she thought she was getting somewhere. While he seemed very skeptical of her theory that the person who killed Krezminski was a woman, he gave her license to investigate that theory and told her to leave to go do just that.

Before she left the office, she made a phone call.

“I’m released for the day, what about you?”

Angie looked around the automat, it was light and there were more waitresses just standing around then there were customers.

“Deadsville here, I think I can swing getting out a little early,” Angie smiled into the phone.

“Meet me back at your place in an hour?”

Angie looked at the time, that would be twelve o’clock. It would be a great time to go to see the movie and then eat at the restaurant.

There was another call that Peggy needed to make, and she sure as hell couldn’t make that one in the office, so before going to Angie’s she made the call in the hallway of the Griffith. After it was done, and she and Jarvis had made plans to talk at the L&L tomorrow morning, she looked around, knocked on Angie’s door once and the door opened seemingly on its own. Instinctively, her agent’s training kicked in and she pushed the door open wider; reaching into her purse, putting her hand on her gun and waiting to see if the person who had opened the door was about to pounce.

Apparently, they were.

Peggy sprung into action and caught their arm, rolling them both into the apartment, while simultaneously kicking the door shut and falling behind them on the floor. She pulled her attacker back and pushed her down into the mattress, kissing her lips with abandon.

Angie gasped out as Peggy became preoccupied with kissing the hollow of her neck, she said, “I was going to suggest we go to the matinee, but then I thought about what we did last night and I was beside myself with waiting…” Peggy’s kisses were moving slowly up her neck to kiss along her jaw, finally stopping at her lips and looking deeply into her eyes as she captured her sweet mouth in a dizzying kiss.

When the kiss ended and they had gotten sufficient air into their lungs Peggy said, “I know, it was like that for me too. I promise you that we’ll still go to the movie and to eat darling. I just thought of you almost constantly when I wasn’t actively doing work and I’m so glad you agreed to this _romantic_ matinee.”

Angie pulled Peggy even closer to her, making her put her full body weight on her by taking her arms and pulling her down to her.

“I think you’re getting addicted to this position,” Angie said, happily.

“As are you, I can tell. She who likes to be pancaked,” Peggy said, and then leaned down to kiss her shoulder and wiggle her lower half into Angie.

“I just love feeling your whole body on mine, it’s intoxicating,” Angie said, truthfully.

Peggy lifted back up and looked into Angie’s eyes, “That’s exactly the word for it…I’m intoxicated by you…and I can’t seem…I don’t think I’ll ever get enough,” Peggy looked thoughtful and Angie could swear, she was just a little worried. “Am I becoming a licentious, wanton, libertine?”

“Oh Jesus, I hope to God, yes!”

Peggy laughed out loud and rolled off of Angie, still delighting in her reaction.

“I think that’s a great name for our first born” Angie said, without thinking.

Peggy’s laughter stopped and Angie regretted saying that. She thought maybe she had killed the mood by bringing children into the discussion, when they both knew that wouldn’t be possible.

“Sorry, Peg, it was just a dumb, joke,” Angie said, trying to keep it light and not making a big deal about it.

“Licentious Wanton Libertine Carter…or Martinelli? Carter-Martinelli? Martinelli-Carter?” She rolled over and looked at Angie whose eyes were lit up like a Christmas tree. “Marter?” Peggy continued. “Cartinelli?”

“That’s the one, Cartinelli. It sounds perfect, Peg. Just the right amount of both of our names,” she smiled widely. “Sounds exactly right.”

“I think so, too,” Peggy said, smiling and leaned in for a kiss, pouring all the love she felt for Angie at this moment into it and succeeding in wiping away any trepidation that Angie had about what Peggy’s reaction would be if they talked about their future together.

*****

Four hours later and they were taking the el train to Chatham Square where they would walk to Mott Street and the restaurant. They went into the door, whose frame resembled a pagoda and up the steps to the main floor of the restaurant. They were greeted by an older woman wearing an oriental print silk dress, she showed them to their seats and gave them menus.

“Oh my word, darling, I think I could order this whole menu and still be hungry,” Peggy said, perusing the sumptuous delights described on the menu.

“I offered you some of my candy bar in the movie, Peg.”

“Not a nougat fan, dearest, but it’s fine, we’re here now-”

Just then, a man came up to their table and greeted them, “Welcome, ladies, Ms. Angie, welcome back, nice to see you again,” the man said, as he bowed to both Angie and Peggy.

“Nice to see you again too, Mr. Chu,” Angie smiled at him. “How’s Carrie?”

“She’s very good, going to Columbia University now, probably be a doctor in two years, one year quicker than it should.”

“That’s great! She was always really smart.”

“This you friend?” He said, indicating Peggy.

“Yes, this is my friend Peggy,” she nodded at him. “Peggy Carter meet Mr. John Chu. We lived near him in Brooklyn and I went to school with his daughter Carrie.”

Mr. Chu bowed to her and then held out his hand for a quick shake. He said, “Nice to meet you, Miss Peggy, any friend of Angie’s is friend of mine.”

“Nice to meet you too, Mr. Chu and thank you,” Peggy said, smiling at him and then at Angie.

“How’s you parents doing?” Mr. Chu asked Angie.

“They’re doing very well, thanks.”

“And, Vinny, how his studies going?”

“They’re going great, he’s almost done for the semester and then he has about another year and a bit.”

“That’s good that he’s going back after the war, I’m glad for him,” he smiled.

“Yeah, he’ll be an accountant when he’s done, working for one of the big firms over in the Financial District.”

“It’s good, you tell him when he’s over there, just a short train ride to here,” Mr. Chu smiled. “I’ll give him discount.”

“That’s great, I will, thanks.”

“They still all living over in Queens?”

“Yes, still living over in Queens, it’s about five years now.”

“To get away from Angelo mother, yes, I remember. But Queens not Brooklyn,” Mr. Chu shook his head sadly.

“No,” Angie shook her head too. “It’s not.”

“No baseball team in Queens.”

“No, there isn’t, especially not the best team in the land.”

“You can say that again. How’s you pitching arm, still unable to bend correctly?” He pointed to his right elbow.

Angie lifted her right arm and showed him that when she held it out with the palm up, she couldn’t bend it, but if she twisted it with the palm down, it bent.

He shook his head and made a tutting noise. “You should go down see Carrie at the University, they look at people for study. They probably fix that for you, get you pitching again,” he smiled at her and nodded his head.

“Oh, I don’t know Mr. Chu, I don’t like needles, and besides, my pitching days are over.”

He shook his head, “Needles not bad and that’s a big shame. You know, this girl,” he said to Peggy while pointing at Angie. “Had best curve ball in all of Brooklyn, all of New York,” he beamed proudly at Angie who smiled and put her head down, blushing as Peggy looked at her smiling proudly.

“You know what?” Mr. Chu asked. “Give me menus, I’ll bring what’s good, okay?”

Angie handed him back her menu and nodded at Peggy to do the same.

“Not allergic to anything?” He asked, Peggy as he took her menu.

“Coconut maybe?” Angie said, smiling and looking over at Peggy who laughed.

“Oh, that too bad, you allergic to coconut. I have a good drink that has coconut in it.”

“She’s pulling your leg, sir. I’m not allergic to coconut. Angie likes to joke.”

“Oh yes, Angie very funny. I go over to her house with my family many times, come out with sides hurting.” He put his hands on his sides to illustrate. “Her family very, very funny.”

“Yes, they are,” Peggy said, smiling at Angie and rubbed her leg under the table. Angie jumped slightly and then coughed to cover it.

Mr. Chu smiled at them and winked at Angie, “Very good then, I bring drinks for you and then comes food.”

“Thank you so much, Mr. Chu,” Angie said and nodded at him.

“Oh, before I forget. Tell your mother that almond cake sells very well and I thank her for suggesting it for the menu. My boss is very pleased.”

“I will, sir. Thanks again.”

Angie leaned over the table and drank the water that had been placed in front of them right after Mr. Chu left.

“I’m pretty sure you keep touching me like that and I’m going to disappoint Mr. Chu because we’ll have to leave right away.”

Peggy took her hand off Angie’s thigh and put both of them in front of her on the table. “I’m sorry, it’s just become a reflex now.” She was indeed always hungry for Angie now and that made it hard to keep her hands off of her, but her stomach would probably commit Hari Kari if she didn’t get some food into it right away, so she folded her hands and sat patiently.

Angie smiled at her and took pity. “I love when you touch me though,” she whispered. “Especially when we’re out like this. It means you’re comfortable with me.”

Peggy smiled at her, “Extremely comfortable, darling. But my wandering hands may get us thrown out of respectable establishments.”

“That might not be such a bad thing,” Angie said, with her own smile as she stared at her glass and traced circles around the rim of the glass.

Peggy was staring at those fingers and remembering what they were doing only approximately an hour ago and had to cross her own legs under the table. The promise she had made to Angie about seeing the movie and having dinner with her was half fulfilled, but she was seriously thinking of welching on the dinner portion when their drinks were brought to them.

“Ooh, they look lovely,” Angie said, appreciatively. They were in big tiki looking ceramic bowl glasses with complimentary fruit slices around the rim and obligatory umbrella. Angie pulled her umbrella out of one of the orange slices and put it in her purse.

Peggy looked at her questioningly.

“To commemorate the occasion,” Angie said, with a shrug and a cute smile on her lips.

The waiter also put down an array of steamed dumplings and Peggy’s libido was temporarily shouted down by her stomach.

“Compliments of Mr. Chu,” he said, bowed and both Angie and Peggy bowed their heads back in gratitude. He smiled and took his tray back to the kitchen.

“Wow,” Angie said, her eyes going wide and her mouth watering at what she knew was going to be an absolutely delightful first course. She was so glad Peggy suggested to come here as she saw the look on her face.

They didn’t talk for the next ten minutes, except for maybe pointing and grunting at what they just had and recommended to one another.

Angie had just thumbs upped the siu mai, as Peggy took a bite of the char siu bao and eye-rolled at the deliciously sweet, yet spicy barbequed pork that was inside.

As they were eating their dumplings, two waiters came to their table to lay the rest of the food Mr. Chu had ordered for them. There were two different dishes of vegetables, another of steamed perch, then still more dishes with spring rolls, tofu with spices, Peking Duck, a dish of sprouts and mung beans with Sichuan dressing. 

“Are you ladies enjoying the food?”

Angie quickly had to finish the bite currently in her mouth before responding, “Mr. Chu, this is all so wonderful, I haven’t even tasted the main course yet…but the _dumplings_!”

“You take some to go, I know that place you live doesn’t have food like this,” he said, smiling.

“No, no it doesn’t,” Angie said, shaking her head.

“Not in the slightest,” Peggy agreed.

“You have to teach you friend how to eat with chopsticks,” Mr. Chu said, indicating that Peggy was using a fork, while Angie had opted to use the chopsticks.

“Oh, don’t worry, we’ll be back here many more times and I’ll have her using them like a pro in no-time.”

“I would try now, but I’m worried most of this delicious looking food would end up on the beautiful table and on the floor, rather than in my mouth,” Peggy said, smiling sheepishly.

“Oh, we can’t have that now.” Mr. Chu shook his head. “Enjoy, ladies, let me know if you need anything else. Anything you wish for, is yours,” he said, and patted Angie on the arm.

“I think we’ll be good for a while, Mr. Chu…maybe a year or so?”

“No, no, must leave room for mother’s almond cake, we did a little variation on a Chinese rice ball, with the almond cake, you have to try.”

“Wow, I don’t know where I’ll put it,” Peggy said. “But that sounds heavenly.”

Mr. Chu bowed graciously and then left them to eat in peace again.

“Don’t worry, Peg, I’ll help you burn all this off later,” Angie said, with a devilish glint in her eyes.

“I don’t doubt you will, darling,” Peggy said, with her own devilish glint. “But first, you may have to roll me home.”

Angie laughed loudly at that and the look on Peggy’s face, her laughter was cut short when she felt a stockinged foot rub up her leg. Peggy sat there all innocence and purity as she popped the other half of the spring roll she was eating into her mouth and smiled, closed mouth, at Angie.

“Oooh, you are going to pay dearly for that, English,” Angie said, narrowing her eyes.

Peggy blew her a kiss after checking to see if anyone was in view and said, “I’m counting on it, babe,” she said, and then winked.

The rest of the meal was spent alternatively in a comfortable silence, gushing about the food and then talked about what Angie loved about the movie they just saw. Peggy guessed it was a childhood favorite of Angie’s, and the theme of it had resonated with her. Especially, the one of family and realizing that home is essentially what you’ve been looking for and you never knew it. Peggy was understanding that all too well, in these last few weeks with Angie. Most of the meal was also spent bedeviling each other with concealed touches of each other under the table.

When they had their fill of the food and thanked Mr. Chu for a wonderful evening, they headed back uptown to try to have their fill of one another. The way they both felt lately, though, that wouldn’t be an issue they had to worry about.

As they lay, basking in the afterglow of their love making, Peggy thought about how to approach telling Angie what she really did for a living. She felt that she had left it too long already and telling her would be a non-starter, so she started to blush from embarrassment. She also thought whether or not to tell her about how Colleen, her last roommate died, and realized that it didn’t need to be brought up, since they weren’t technically roommates. Berating herself for chickening out, she was surprised to hear Angie’s soft snores. Angling her head to see her face, happily snoozing on her chest, she smiled in spite of her sadness at not being able to share the information she had so long wanted to tell her and was slowly working her nerve up to tell her tonight.

She decided to take the time to think about what they were talking about earlier in the day, during their afternoon love rendezvous.

The topic about having kids. While it was mostly in gest about what they would name their first born, Peggy wasn’t opposed to thinking about that for their future. She thought logically what she would want, if they stayed together for a lengthy period of time. Which, besides being killed in the line of duty, or walking down the street with Angie, she was planning on to be as long as she lived. Peggy Carter wasn’t one to do things by halves and what she had with Angie, wasn’t just some sort of temporary fling to her.

In fact, when Peggy and Steve were dating, she had also thought of the children they would have, when they were eventually married. The question for her and Angie was, ‘Would society afford the same principles to Steve and Peggy having children to she and Angie having them if they so chose?

She knew that answer before she even had to think further on it. It made her sad, because in a way, she would feel like she was stealing a part of Angie’s part of life away. She realized, they would have to find a community that accepted the fact that they were two women, living together in a committed and loving relationship. That brought to mind the West Village. She had been down there many times in the last half year as a friend had told her to steer clear of that area if she didn’t want to be corrupted by women who loved women. When she had told Ms. Fry she had turned her ankle on a cobble stone, she was lying because it was a knife to the thigh that caused her to limp the day of her interview, but she had caught one of her heels on a cobble stone, after leaving one of the female entertainment establishments with Tatiana one night.

The next thought she had was of where to live. Her drunken encounter with Miriam Fry two days ago had pretty much solidified her fate and she knew she was operating on borrowed time. She was only still here now because of Angie’s quick thinking. She smiled when she thought of telling Angie that they could have used her skills during the war. Angie would have been perfect for being one of the women who would go out in the town, amongst the townspeople, doing her shopping or innocuous gossip and spread resistance propaganda to them, without them really knowing what it actually was.

That line of thinking led her to remember Pat and how much of a joker he was, and how she never knew he was a spy in the Army. She would have to find her photos from that time, and as soon as she was able to, share with Angie the stories of their friendship. If she and Angie were to have children together, maybe they could honor him in some way, with naming that child after him. She’d have to bring it up to Angie sometime in the future, when their relationship wasn’t so new. She didn’t want to jinx things.

Peggy wasn’t usually superstitious; she was more of a realist and didn’t worry about things that were usually out of her control. Her modus operandi was born out of facts and data that told her the probability that someone was lying, or that she was about to be attacked, but lately, especially since the death of Colleen, she had been thinking that maybe there was something of the notion of supernatural cause and effect. Like when she and Gen had been kissing before Gen was captured. If the moment were to arise where Peggy had to leave Angie in a hurry, maybe there was something to them not kissing right before she left. Although, she hoped the day would never come for her to test that test that theory.

She marveled at the fact that she really hadn’t thought of Gen in a while, until just before. There was a time when she would have thought of her or Steve, almost every time she had a quiet moment to herself. She was a little sad at that, but she also remembered Dum Dum’s wisdom and the fact that she would be still honoring them by living her life as she wanted to live it.

Her thoughts turned back to her current love and the fact that it might seem odd, but she felt differently about this relationship than any other one in her past. The main reason for that was this one went further in terms of intimacy. It was the only thing that had been different in any of the past relationships she had and she allowed herself to think that maybe it was one of the reasons that she and Angie had been having such good fortune.

These are the things Peggy Carter thought in the dead of night, post sex, apparently.

She looked down at Angie, smoothed down the hair on her head, then lovingly placing a kiss on the top of it, and pulled her slightly closer, closing her own eyes and clearing her head in preparation for sleep.

Angie burrowed a little deeper into her side and murmured something that definitely sounded to Peggy like, “Love you” but actually was more like, “Mmmmoooo”.

Peggy opened an eye and looked to see if Angie was waking up. Disappointed that she wasn’t, she bent down again and kissed her forehead this time. “I love you, too, dearest.”

Pulling the covers tighter around them, she waited for sleep to claim her.

*****

As they got ready for the day the next morning, Angie went over the plan again, just to make sure Peggy had it down.

“So, I leave first, go down to see Miriam and beg and plead to get you a new room key, I hope she’s not going to try to charge me for it. She really shouldn’t have charged me for the curfew fine,” Angie said, as she brushed her hair out.

“Remind me to pay you back for that, please, Angie.”

“Not a problem, English, you paid for the Chinese food last night.”

“And you paid for the movie,” Peggy said.

“Twenty-five cents a head compared to five dollars a head?”

“Then I owe you four fifty,” Peggy said, and nodded.

“Are we going to do one of those ‘who owes who what’ things, where we wrestle each other and try to shove bills into each other’s pockets?”

Peggy smirked at her with a mischievous look in her eyes.

“They have back rooms of bars downtown that will be glad to accommodate you, if that’s what floats your boat.”

Peggy called her bluff, “Oh, is that a fact? What bars, addresses please?”

“I’ll take you there Friday night,” Angie tried to out bluff her.

“That’s just ducky with me, sweetheart.”

“Good.”

“Perfect.”

“Wonderful. I’m glad that’s settled; can we get back to our plans now?”

“If we must,” Peggy said, feeling like she didn’t properly win whatever game they were playing.

“So, I get your key, go to work, you come later and then we do our little scene, I’ll give you your key and we’ll be square.”

“I really wish you would let me pay for the key.”

“Don’t worry about it, Peg, honestly. You just show up to the book club this week and your debt will be paid in full.”

Peggy smiled at that and said, “If that’s all I have to do, I will move heaven and earth to do it,” she said, confident that she would be able to make it this week.

“You don’t have to do all that, just take the F train, it’ll be much simpler,” Angie smirked.

Peggy laughed.

“Now, let me get out before it’s time to go to bed,” Angie chuckled and leaned in for a burning kiss. “Don’t forget your shoes again,” she said, with a wink, as she fixed her lipstick in the mirror and grabbed her coat and purse off the ottoman.

Peggy stood there for a few more moments and had to shake her head to rid it of the feelings Angie stirred up with that last kiss. She bent down, picked her shoes up and put them on, alternately shaking her head and smiling about how wonderful Angie was before leaving. It was becoming an every day way to end their mornings, apparently.

Peggy allowed herself to feel pretty good about being able to do her own SSR sanctioned investigation and about her relationship and the way it made her feel.

It had made her feel so good, that she had forgotten to tell Angie that she was meeting Jarvis, the man that Angie called, “Mr. Fancy”, at the L&L this morning as well.

“Oh, bullocks,” Peggy said, annoyed at herself.

*****

After Angie’s warm up, with her part from Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House”, she and Peggy had done their own performance as planned. Angie had just told her that she was giving up her career as an actress to go to secretary school and Angie had given her a line that she really thought was quite good, which was, “The floodlights are calling, but not for me.” She tucked that bit away to remember to commend Angie on such a good line. Next, Peggy pleaded with her to reconsider because of the wonderful actress she thought she was, which was not acting at all for Peggy, since she really did think that about Angie. At that moment, Peggy spotted Jarvis coming in to the automat through its revolving door.

“We’ll talk about this when I get home tonight,” Peggy said, and then winked at Angie who kept her composure and then turned as she realized Mr. Fancy was walking to his usual booth.

She realized she never pressed Peggy on who he really was to her. She’d have to do that soon, and she’d have to warn her about Dottie. When Peggy got home tonight, she’d do exactly that.

“Nothing to say,” Angie waved her hand dismissively. “I’ll let you and your… _friend_ talk.”

Angie wasn’t really aware, but she looked a little disdainfully at Jarvis and Peggy took note, she had a feeling that look wasn’t acting. Peggy would have to find a way to tell Angie all about what was going on soon, before she got the wrong idea, but she was inwardly happy that she was leery of Jarvis and again felt the flood of gratitude at being looked out for.

As they talked, Peggy and Jarvis worked out the fact that she was only dealing with him again to help further the investigation into who was really behind the pilfering of Howard’s inventions, because the mission in Russia had proven, to her at least, that Howard himself hadn’t staged the theft for his own nefarious black market selling purposes. Jarvis told Peggy that her boss had paid him a visit, looking for information on the Battle of Finow in Germany and she shared what she had found out about the girl’s training school in Russia, suggesting that they look for this woman who most likely was the culprit of the theft.

As Peggy outlined how they would conduct their search for this woman, she eyerolled more than once at Howard’s libertine ways and how many women they would have to pay a call on today. It wasn’t the sex part that bothered her really. She of all people wouldn’t dare to call anyone else’s libido into question, especially with how much sex she had been having lately. But she did look down upon how many sexual partners he had.

Syphilis still did not have a cure and he was dangerously close to contracting it and then he’d be sorry. The only thing she could give him credit for was that French Letter she saw in the sewer under his mansion near the water, which meant he was taking some precaution. She was a little bit upset at having thought of all this, Howard Stark’s sex life was not what she wanted to be thinking of this morning, or afternoon or evening as a matter of fact.

After procuring a list, from a customer jewelry maker, of the women Howard had given parting bracelets to in the Greater New York City area, they were off and investigating in earnest. Peggy’s main goal was to see the wrists of the women for the telltale signs of being shackled to the bed post as they slept. Jarvis, poor thing, had the job of speaking to these women, as well as taking their slaps and at least one got in a good kick to his shin. But to no avail, none of them were the woman they had been looking for.

The last place they went, looked very promising and as Jarvis entertained a local neighborhood boy, Peggy went and spied on the Assassin’s presumed residence, identifying the marks on the bedpost that would prove she was the woman they were looking for, because she had kept up the practice of chaining herself to the bedpost while she slept, even into adulthood. Peggy took it as a sign of some sort of mind control. Peggy told Jarvis to meet her back at the L&L as she was going to speak to the neighbors, while he should track down the building’s owner to question them.

The investigative duo met back at the L&L to go over their notes on what they had discovered. Peggy came up empty on getting any information from the woman’s neighbors. The woman they now knew to be named Ida Emke from the pile of unopened mail at her apartment, never socialised much or at all, it seemed, at least not with the people in the building. Likewise Jarvis wasn’t able to get a forwarding address or any other information that would be useful, not even a bank where she frequented as she always paid for her room in cash.

As they talked and picked out sandwiches on the automat side, Peggy suddenly noticed that the heretofore bustling lunch rush, had quieted considerably. She looked around and immediately knew what was happening.

Procedure 791.

She had spotted at least two SSR agents, and she had surmised that more were positioned outside to capture her once all the civilians were out of the restaurant.

‘Damn,’ she thought and surmised that Sousa’s snooping into the lady in the dress in Spider Raymond’s club had finally paid him dividends and she was made as being that very same woman, which meant that she was aiding and abetting a known fugitive. ‘I wish I had more time.’ Especially, because now she’d surely miss her book club date on Sunday and Angie was going to kill her.

If she wasn’t hung for treason first.

She quickly relayed what she knew was happening to Jarvis and told him to block the door. It was time for her to call upon her own acting skills.

Sighing incredulously, as she turned around to come face to face with Agent Reese, she said, “Oh, ten cents for a cup of coffee,” she chuckled. “Who would believe it…” The agent moved to grab her arm and she punched him in the face and sent him skidding into the partition that separated the booths from the automated side. Peggy then moved into overdrive to get to the other agents and neutralize them. She scaled the partition and used her fighting skills to punch, kick, and use a dish to ultimately knock out the other three agents that had tried to take her down. Finally, she pushed a chair to Jarvis so that he could wedge it in the revolving door and then left out the back entrance, that he suggested, with him.

As Thompson stopped her cold with a gun pointed at her, she cursed herself for not going up to the roof as was her instinct. The reason she was being hunted was soon confirmed by Jack. Sousa had found out that she was the woman who was with Leet Braniss when he died, the one who neutralized Spider Raymond with the knockout lipstick the night he was killed and the fact that now they caught her with Mr. Edwin Jarvis, butler of Howard “Enemy Number One” Stark, after she just knocked out men from her own branch, was not helping her in the slightest to try and prove her innocence.

Peggy refused to give herself up and apologized to Thompson, before knocking him out. She quickly told Jarvis to meet her at the Dublin House, because she had to go back to the Griffith to get Steve’s blood.

She also had to tell Angie what was going on, but she didn’t share that part with him. She knew it was a huge risk she was undertaking but she had to do it for the two most important people that she had in her life besides her parents.

As she ran, she was stopped by Sousa who was also pointing a gun at her. He asked her not to run because then he would know all of the evidence against her, that he gathered, was true.

She knew he wasn’t going to run after her and she also knew he wouldn’t shoot, so she didn’t attempt to knock him out as she had done to Thompson. But she still felt guilty for making him think badly of her. She did respect Sousa, as he was the only one in the office who respected her.

As she ran to the subway stop, she looked around to see Carla and Myra huddled next to Mal and Junie and tried to put as much expression into her face to relay that she wasn’t the traitor the SSR agents had probably made her out to be. Carla had the urge to call out to her, but she thought better of it. Realizing that it would be a mistake to call attention to her presence but Myra had spotted Peggy just then and was about to call out her name when Carla clapped a hand over her mouth.

“Shhhh, let her go,” she whispered into Myra’s ear. “She ain’t no traitor.”

“Still sweet on her, eh?” Myra said, taking Carla’s hand off of her mouth.

“Hey, you know what? If I went that way, I’d be with her in a heartbeat,” Carla said, truthfully.

Myra looked at her retreating form and admitted, “Me too, Car. Me too.” She was thinking about the way Peggy had jumped over the booths, knocked out those two agents and still looked good in heels. The two women side-hugged as they watched Peggy disappear into the subway.

Mal was busy bugging the agent that was trying to question him.

“Who’s gonna pay for the damage to my joint here?” he said, pointing to the automat.

“What damage?” The SSR agent asked.

“The plate she threw and knocked that guy out with, it’s in a million pieces! The water jug that guy smashed over the other guys head? Not to mention the blood that’ll have to be cleaned outta the tile. I mean,” Mal indicated towards the restaurant with both of his hands. “You couldn’t take out a little girl, five agents knocked out and you’re not gonna pony up for the damage?”

“Hey, give us a break, that ‘girl’ as you call her is Captain America’s ex and she took out more Nazi and HYDRA scum during the war, then broads you took out to the movies, _pal_.”

“Hey!” Mal scolded. “I shot a few Krauts during the war.”

“Kill any?” The Agent asked.

“Didn’t bother looking,” Mal said, lowering his voice. “I was running so fast to get away.” He said, as he shrugged.

“Listen, guy, I know what kinda palooka you are-”

“What’s your name and badge number, _pal_ ,” Mal said, trying to stand up to him and look menacing.

“Frank, Frank Colombo, do I have to take you downtown to see the chief?”

“No,” Mal said, contrite.

“Good, now, let me do my job and question these other women,” he said, as he moved off. Agent Colombo went over to Carla and shook his head as he passed Junie who was refusing to say anything to the agent she was being questioned by. He had heard about her from his niece Angie, Junie was the one that made the pie that she brought to his house for dinner one day. He wouldn’t tell his cousin Lucy, but the pie was almost as good as hers.

Almost.

After the agents were finished taking their statements, and he stopped Agent Marts from hauling Junie downtown, they let the staff go back into the restaurant. Carla made a bee-line for the phone and then stopped herself. Myra bumped into the back of her, she was hot on her heels.

“What are you doing?” Carla asked.

“I’m following you, you’re gonna call,” Myra looked around and lowered her voice. “Angie.”

“How do you know?”

“It’s what I would do right now for sure, make sure she knows her doll’s gonna need to be bailed out,” Myra nodded knowingly at her. “Here, here’s a nickel, what’re you waitin’ for?”

“I don’t wanna make the call here.”

Myra nodded even more, “Outside line, clever girl…” she tapped the side of her head.

Carla replaced the receiver on its cradle and pushed passed Myra, she didn’t stop and look at Mal who was calling for her and Myra to help him clean. Junie also saw what they were doing and moved to follow them out of the restaurant.

“Hey, where are youse broads going?! Who’s gonna help me clean?!”

Myra turned around, flipped him the nickel and said, “There, go call your mother, you said she’d help you clean.”

Carla made it to the booth and after putting in her own nickel, dialed the number she had for the Griffith, the line was busy. Frustrated, she hung the line up and Junie got the nickel out of its return receptacle and put it in the slot for her again.

“Thanks, June,” Carla said, as she dialed the number again.

Still busy.

“Busy.”

“Oh yeah,” Myra said. “When I lived there, those broads were on the phone morning, noon and night.

Carla rolled her eyes, “You got cab fare?”

“Cab fare?! Why don’t we take the subway?”

“I want to get there quick, to warn Angie about what’s coming.”

“You think English would be dumb enough to go back there?”

“You wouldn’t go to see Bertie and tell him what was going on, if you were about to be nabbed by the feds?”

“Nah, I’d have put my hands behind my back as soon as I seen the G men and gladly been taken to a cell.”

Junie shook her head and shrugged at Carla, showing her disappointment in Myra.

“You got cab fare or what?” Carla asked again.

“No, sorry, I don’t,” Myra said and looked at Carla sincerely. “Honest, I would give it to you if I had it.”

“How about you, June?”

Junie looked in her apron pocket and came up empty. Carla sighed.

“Subway it is then, ladies.” Giving each of them a token.

All the way over to the Griffith, Carla was warring with herself on whether to tell Angie that she had overheard that Peggy was the girlfriend of Captain America. She knew that if Angie knew that tidbit of information, she probably would have told Carla by now. She trusted Peggy though, and if she didn’t want Angie to know yet, there was a good reason for it.

She just hoped it didn’t break them up.

*****

Angie was doing some straightening of the apartment with her afternoon off. She had just come up from doing the wash and was putting away the folded clothes when she heard a curious noise coming from the area outside her window. Immediately after opening the two French style windows, shocked and a little bit frightened to see Peggy standing on it. She had on her Army issued rucksack, that Angie knew to be back in her apartment, slung over her body.

“Peggy? What are you doing?” she asked. The look in Peggy’s eyes told her this visit was not like her other visit when she came over to her apartment via the ledge. Angie also quickly deduced that it was daytime, so she didn’t need to be sneaking over to her place and besides, she had sufficiently warned her about ever doing that again, or so she thought.

Just then there was a very loud knock at her door.

“Miss Martinelli? Federal agents, we have some questions for you!”

Angie looked at Peggy questioningly and Peggy said, “They’re here for me…” Instantly regretting the bazillion times she had not taken the opportunity to tell Angie what she was.

Angie nodded and her protective instinct kicked into high gear, without a word, she closed the windows and went to the door.

‘So, these are the fat heads at her job?’ Angie thought as they practically bowled her over backwards getting into her apartment. ‘They’re not so scary.’

“You don’t look like federal agents,” Angie said, with mirthful disdain in her voice.

“We’re with the Strategic Scientific Reserve,” Sousa said, looking around her apartment.

“Well I’m with the Queens County 4H, now take it down the hall,” Angie said.

“I suggest you take them seriously, Miss Martinelli. Miss Carter is not who she appears to be, she has defaced the very walls of this institution,” Ms. Fry said, with vitriol in her voice.

“Mother hen here says you’re friends with Peggy Carter?” The blond agent, that she figured was Thompson because the humanity in his eyes was not quiet there, asked.

Angie decided to keep it ultra-light, “Yeah we’re friendly,” Angie shrugged.

“She tell you about her work?” The brunette man asked.

“At the phone company, just the usual stuff, complained about her fatheaded male co-workers a lot.”

Peggy had to slap her hand over her mouth to stop herself from howling with laughter. As tense as this situation was, she was really enjoying the ‘Angie Martinelli show’ and couldn’t wait to see what she said next.

“She keep weird hours, stay out late, bring guys over?” Thompson asked, from his position leaned up against the wall.

“Of course not, curfew’s at ten, no guy’s above the lobby,” Angie said, incredulously and Ms. Fry gave her words of encouragement.

As the brunette man kept questioning her, she noticed Thompson getting closer to the windows and she realized she would have to find a way to put on the tears.

When he asked if Peggy had told her where she was going and then asked if she told her anything else, she started the real show. She told him Peggy had told her she was leaving because her grandmother was sick and she started the fake tears.

Peggy heard them and was worried they were really getting to her, but as Angie kept going on about how supportive her grandmother was about her acting career and then quoted what she had told her that very morning about her belonging on stage, she knew that she _would_ one day marry this woman, whenever it became legal to do so.

As her performance wound down and the men tried in vain to comfort her, Peggy wondered how Angie was going to persuade them to leave.

“What’s your grandmother’s name?” she heard Angie ask in a sad, sweet voice and again, she wanted to laugh out loud. Especially, when Thompson said, “Gam Gam.”

Peggy closed her eyes and thanked Angie for what had to be the millionth time since she’s known her, when Sousa suggested they move on and go question the other neighbors.

Angie quickly shut the door and bolted it, then made her way to the windows, opening and clearing her throat to indicate the coast was clear. Angie was never more frightened during this whole time then when she was helping Peggy in from the ledge, she tried to take purchase on any limb she could find, to help steady her entrance into her apartment. Even though she knew Peggy was pretty nimble, there was a guy who had been “dating” Sarah, that had fallen from the second story a few months ago, because the ledge had given way. He was probably still in traction at New York Presbyterian, the poor schlub.

When Peggy was finally in the room, she waited for the berating she was about to take and tried to head it off by going with a nonchalant approach, praising Angie for her acting ability, like it was any other day.

“Angie, you’re amazing…”

“I _knew_ you didn’t work at the phone company,” Angie said, narrowing her eyes at Peggy. Peggy just shrugged with a small smile on her lips and looked away.

Angie reached out to her, pushed her back from the windows, closed them, then spun on her heels and wrapped Peggy up into a crushing hug and needy kiss. Peggy was a little bowled over and had to hang on to Angie or she would surely have fallen. She returned the kiss in earnest, grateful for this woman’s love, affection and acting talent.

When the kiss ended, and Peggy was looking deeply into the eyes that she loved to see, she stroked her hair and was about to try to tell her what was going on, but Angie stepped in quickly.

“What do you need?” She asked Peggy.

Peggy blinked a couple of times and then her agent’s training kicked in and asked, “A car?”

Angie nodded, knowing exactly what to do and went to move out of Peggy’s arms but Peggy stopped her, clinging to her a few more moments before she knew they had to part so she could get going to wherever it was she was going.

“I’m so sorry, Angie, I’m afraid I’ve mucked things up,” Peggy said, sincerely sorry for everything. Not telling her about her work, putting her in danger of prosecution for lying to federal agents, possibly getting kicked out of the Griffith along with her, not having more time to be with each other. All of it.

“Mucking? There’s no mucking here, Peg,” Angie said, quickly dispelling any notion that Peggy had done anything wrong. “You think I haven’t been in situations like this before? You remember that story about Ralphie?”

“You weren’t driving the getaway car, were you?” Peggy asked, with a look of worry.

“Getaway car?! What? No! He used to steal penny candy from the candy store on Saturdays, I was the look out. Getaway car…really, Peg,” she said, shaking her head at her girlfriend.

“Sorry, I just…”

“Yeah, you just thought I was a two bit-”

“None of that, I didn’t think you were a two bit anything…five bits maybe,” Peggy said, with a impertinent smile on her face.

Angie just narrowed her eyes at her and shook her head. Finally, she smiled, squeezed Peggy’s hands and said, “Let me go call Vin, so I can add ‘aiding an abetting a fugitive’ to my list of felonies.”

Peggy again, looked sorry for mixing Angie up in all of this. She pulled her back before she could leave and pulled her into another fiery kiss.

They were both winded when it ended and Angie breathed out, “Do you really need to leave?” She said, waiting a few beats to get her wind back before continuing, “I mean…I threw them off your trail, they won’t be coming back, what say we just sack out here for the rest of the year? I could convince Miriam that I need my meals brought up because I’m contagious or something…”

Peggy laughed, “Whilst I would love nothing more than to be a witness to that performance, I do have to clear my name, dearest and make sure you’re not implicated in anything.”

“Yeah, yeah, always with the Miss Goody Two Shoes bit, I get it, I get it,” Angie waved her off, then smiled and winked. “Really, though, Vin should be home, but I’ll have to catch him quick. Where do you need the car stashed?”

“The Dublin House,” Peggy said and Angie quirked an eyebrow at her. “It’s the only place I could think of…”

Angie shrugged, got her coin purse out of her jacket pocket and left to go make her call.

Peggy stood and looked around, she was going to miss this place, she tried not to think of that too much, or else she would start to cry. It was just that they were really and truly happy here, it was where she and Angie bonded over schnapps and rhubarb pie, that didn’t really get eaten that night. And it was where she really became a woman, so to speak. Peggy looked over and noticed a small photo in a tiny frame that somehow managed to get behind a photo of Mr. and Mrs. Martinelli as a young couple, it was a photo of Angie and Jack, presumably at their formal. She didn’t hesitate to put it in her bag, she would keep it with her for good luck. It was also because it was exactly how Angie looked today, her hair down and free, with her blond highlights coming out in earnest from the soft curls that framed her face.

Angie walked out of the Griffith to the phone booth on the corner and dialed her parent’s house.

“Dad, what are you doing home?” Angie asked, surprised that her father was there.

“I got the day off to go with Vin to see a game…”

“The Dodgers?”

“Yeah, who else?”

“Why didn’t you call me? I was off this afternoon,” Angie asked, forgetting herself for a moment.

“I thought you’d be working,” he said, sincerely. “I mean we can probably get another-”

“Actually, Dad, that’s okay…I forgot, I do have something to do today, sorry. Do you think you can put Vinny on the phone?”

“Yeah, hang on,” he held the phone out from his face. “Vin-nay! Oh, Vin-nay! You there? What’d ya mean ‘what’? You’re sister’s on the phone!” He lowered his voice and brought it back to his face. “He said, ‘Hang on, he’s getting dressed’.”

“Okay, Pop, how’s things?”

“They’re good, how about you?”

“Good, good.”

“That’s good, how’s Peggy?”

“She’s good, she’s good.”

“Good,” he said, skeptically because Angie was being really blasé about everything. Usually she would go into more detail.

“She coming with you again on Sunday?”

Angie had to stop and think about that for a minute, if Peggy was on the run for a while, she most definitely wouldn’t be coming with her to Queens on Sunday. ‘Good thing I didn’t tell Millie that Peggy would come with me on Sunday to read to her.’ Normally, she would have gone on Wednesday to do that, but Peggy had asked if they could go on Sunday to make it up to Millie, if Angie didn’t mind.

“I don’t know, Pop, it’s kinda why I’m calling,” Angie said, realizing she would have to tell her father something about why the scash would be gone for a while. “She’s got a conference in Pennsylvania and it would really help her out if she had a car. She was gonna hire one-”

“Hire one?! No! What?! No! They rip you off those places! No, if she don’t mind the scash, she can borrow that, I’ll have Vin gas it up and drop it off.”

Angie closed her eyes and smiled as she sighed a relieved sigh and thanked whoever was in charge of the universe that she got the parents she was born to. Until her father said, “So, I got another acceptance letter to that secretary school…”

“Daddy, no, don’t waste your money on that. Really, I’m throwing all I have into acting, I realized I’ve been pussyfooting around and I’m going to really go for it this time. You can stuff that letter in the trash.”

“Alright, Pip,” he said, proudly. “You know your mother and I will support whatever you choose.”

“Thanks, Pop,” she said, smiling gratefully.

“Here’s Vin, you take care of yourself, I’ll get you a program from the game. Give Peggy our best and tell her that we hope to see her with you on Sunday.”

“Thanks…” she was getting teary eyed and didn’t trust her voice to say more. Anyway, if she had it would be to say, ‘Me too, Pa.’

“Hey, Ange, che cosa?”

“I need a favor, Vin, well, Peggy needs a favor.”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“I can’t say, because I really don’t know but I need you to drop the scash at the Dublin House, Pop said it was okay.”

“Okay, Pip, whatever you two need,” he said, no further questions needed.

“Thanks, Vin.”

“You going wherever with her?”

“Nah, I don’t think so,” Angie said, like it wasn’t truthfully, she wanted nothing more to run wherever Peggy was going, but she realized she could probably help her more if Peggy didn’t have to worry about her and Angie could probably find out ways to help her if she stayed. She’d definitely go over to her parents later and get her mother’s help in that area. Her cousin Frankie must know about all this.

“How about coming with me and Pop to the game? We’re playing the Braves, and I think we have a really good chance of going ahead of the Cards today.”

“Who’s pitching?”

“Head, it’s his first game back since the War.”

Angie thought about it for a few moments. Ed Head was somewhat of a hero to her. He was a pitcher who had been a natural lefty but was in a bad car accident when he was fifteen, that took the life of his sweetheart and he almost lost his pitching arm in the process to boot. The doctors had saved his arm, but he couldn’t pitch with it anymore and he switched to pitching righty. Pitching almost better than he had as a lefty. Going with them was really very tempting, but she had to refuse. She wouldn’t have been able to concentrate on the game at all with Peggy running for her life out somewhere.

“That sounds so tempting, Vin, but I got some stuff to take care of here. I’ll have to take a raincheck.”

“Okay, well, Pop and I will hold ya to that, ya know. We haven’t been to a game together in a long time!”

“I will, I will, I promise,” Angie said, truthfully.

“You’ll have to bring Peggy, so she can fall in love with ‘Dem Bums’, too.”

Angie smiled at that and she felt that lump in her throat again.

“You bet and thanks, Vin, for everything.”

“Not a problem, talk to you soon,” he said, and then they said their goodbyes and hung up.

Angie walked quickly back to the Griffith and went straight to her room, waving to Carol but not stopping to chat.

“Just got off the phone with my brother, he’s gonna drop a car at the Dublin House for you, should at least getcha outta town for a while.”

“Thank you, Angie,” Peggy said, gratefully.

“Also told my father to stuff secretary school,” she put her hands on her hips as she said, defiantly, “I belong on Broadway.”

“After the performance I just saw, there’s no way you should be doing anything else, you’re an amazing actress.”

“You’re not so bad yourself,” Angie said, ironically.

Peggy smiled and then here was the part she had insisted on before Angie had gone to make the call to Vinny. Peggy didn’t want them to kiss, she said something about it being bad luck and reasoned with Angie that if they didn’t kiss, then she would come back to kiss her when all this was over. It would be what spurred her to get it all sorted out and then be back to her sooner rather than later.

After some back and forth, Angie had reluctantly agreed, so when she came back from making the call, she had kept the conversation light.

Now was time for their goodbye hug. Angie couldn’t help but thinking of the last time she hugged Pat and Jack and tried to keep the worry out of her face when their hug ended.

“I look forward to hearing what this is about some day.”

“Someday…” Peggy smiled and wanted nothing more than to kiss Angie, but she had her new found reasoning. She had kissed Gen right before she was captured and Steve right before he put his plane down in the water. “Take care of yourself,” Peggy said, trying to keep the worry out of her face as well.

And then she was gone.

Angie tried to wrack her brain, there was something she was forgetting to tell Peggy, but she couldn’t for the life of her remember what it was, she took the pillow from their bed and hugged it as she sat on the bed and thought.

As Peggy rounded the corner of the small staircase, she spotted Dottie who was relieved to see her. Dottie told her scary men were there looking for Peggy and then asked if she would be at dinner. Peggy should have seen the crazed look in her eyes sooner, but after she hugged her, then leaned in to plant a kiss on her, the first thought to come to her mind was that she hoped Angie hadn’t just witnessed that and the second more concrete thought was that she had been drugged, her eyes grew impossibly heavy and she started to stumble. That could only mean one thing, that this was Ida, the woman she and Jarvis were searching for earlier that day. The one who stole Howard’s inventions so they could be sold on the black market and make him look traitorous to his own government, the one who killed Agent Krezminski, the one that was helping Leviathan take root in New York along with people like Sasha Demidov and Leet Brannis.

It also meant that Dottie got her knockout lipstick somehow.

“You’re wearing my brand,” was all Peggy managed to say, she started to stumble and took hold of Dottie’s arm, pulling up her sleeve, her suspicion was confirmed. Her wrist had the mark of a handcuff being locked to it while she slept in bed at night.

As she thought of calling out to Angie, everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A *minor* cliffy, I'm sorry! But since you know how this story ultimately works out, and I follow canon as faithfully as I can (with some fleshing out and steering the story into its rightful lane) so it's not that bad! You kinda know what happens. Or do you?! 
> 
> There is a possibility that the next chapter might not be out exactly seven days from now, but just a slight possibility. I'm in the end game now (see what I did there?) and I want to make sure that I'm staying true to my original vision for the end of the story, (not that the next chapter is the end) but I will be taking extra precautions and re-reading the story so it doesn't go off the rails. That might cause me fits of embarrassment and dying of shame, as I see my horrible typos and grammar mistakes and, of course, as I read the sexy bits.  
> O-O
> 
> Frassington over and out!


	11. Lost In The Wood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peggy’s in trouble, Jarvis tries to help and Angie finds out how kept in the dark she’s been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again. This one is dedicated to all those reading and liking this story. Without you, I’m not going to say I’m nothing, but it’d be difficult to be something without you. So there. 😉

Angie finally remembered what she had to tell Peggy, she jumped out of her chair, flew to the door to see if she could catch her and tell her to watch her back if she saw Dottie. When she opened it and saw Dottie’s face staring back at her, she jumped.

“Angie, I was just coming to see you,” Dottie lied. “They took Peggy away in handcuffs…”

“What?!”

“She must have passed out and the men…they took her.”

Angie pushed passed Dottie without saying another word and ran down the hall and the stairway in record time. She just made it out front in time to see Peggy being led away in handcuffs to a waiting car. She felt helpless and mad that she hadn’t insisted she waited longer at her place. How could she be so foolish not to make her stay to wait for the cover of darkness?

She would make a poor sidekick, she thought.

Carla and the others from the L&L got there just as Peggy was being put into Thompson’s car. They spotted Angie outside of the front door at the top of the stairs and went to her.

“Angie, my God, I’m so sorry,” Carla said out of breath as the others came up to them, also out of breath.

“What happened?”

Carla looked around at the people gathering and saw Dottie, she smiled at her, like nothing was wrong.

“Oh, nothing, it’s just that we’re probably all out of jobs for a while, the automat is in pretty bad condition. They barely got the fire out…”

“Fire?” Myra asked, puzzled and Carla put her back to Dottie and pointed her thumb towards her. Myra spotted Dottie and said, “Oh, yeah, that. It was a rager,” Myra nodded her head. “Mal had to put it out with his shoe…” Lately, she noticed that she couldn’t think so fast on her feet anymore, because of her condition, it sapped the good braincells that she had left.

“Really?” Angie looked skeptically at her and then looked to Junie who nodded and then shrugged.

“Heya…” Myra started to greet Dottie with the name Hayseed and stopped herself.

“Dottie,” Carla added helpfully.

“Heya, Dot,” Myra said, giving a short wave.

“Hi ladies,” Dottie gave her best gosh gee golly smile, but Carla wasn’t fooled, she had seen her coming out of the Griffith after Angie and spotted the look on her face. It was like the one she had the other day at the automat after Peggy had her back turned. She definitely had something against Peggy.

“We should go upstairs to your place and chat…”

“Carla, do you mind if I take off? I have to go pick up my stuff from the place and then tell my husband I’m out of work again,” Myra said, sullenly. “At least for a while anyway.”

“Go ahead, My, do what you need,” Carla was relieved because she knew Myra would probably be more of a hindrance then a help. She was usually pretty good for a short period of time but then would get bored and Carla also didn’t want anything to hurt the baby if they got into something they weren’t expecting.

Myra looked at Junie who was ready to follow Angie and Carla into the building.

“Do you mind coming back with me, June? I don’t like taking the subway by myself anymore. Especially in case I barf.”

Junie looked at her disgustedly and Myra shrugged her shoulders, “From the smell sometimes, you know? The other day I had to go tell Bertie to eat his gefilte fish out on the balcony, I couldn’t take it.”

Junie shook her head at Myra and then gave Angie a sympathetic look and brought her into a hug. When it was over, Angie thanked her and patted her on the shoulder as Junie reached for Myra’s hand and pulled her down the steps towards the subway.

“Junie, not so fast, honey…you’ll give me shin splints, with all this running today…bye girls!”

Angie had to laugh at that, as she waved at them and Carla just stood there shaking her head and saying, “Junie’s a saint, isn’t she?”

“She’s the best,” Angie said, sincerely.

Junie never said much, or anything at all really, but she was someone you could count on to give you a laugh when you didn’t think you had it in you. She just had a way.

Carla looped her arm through Angie’s and they made their way back up to Angie’s apartment. Once inside, they spoke in Italian and Carla relayed all of what she saw at the L&L.

“She went right over the partition?” Angie asked, surprised and a little bit proud.

Carla illustrated the movement with her hand, “Right over, I couldn’t believe it. Right after punching one of those feds and sending him across the floor. Did you know she was that strong?”

Angie had several inclinations, but she didn’t want to let on, so she shook her head.

“I mean I saw her sticking that fork into Stu, but I didn’t really know she could fight like that. You remember that fighter…the Manassa Mauler…”

“Dempsey, Jack Dempsey,” Angie said automatically, still thinking of Peggy punching someone out and then jumping over the partition that separated the automat side from the booths and tables.

“Yeah, I think she coulda taken him on…and won,” Carla said, nodding her head knowingly.

“Where were you? Still in the automat?”

“No, they got us all out of there as soon as Peggy came in. Then the feds tried to get us away from the windows, but we wouldn’t budge, I saw everything.”

“Was there anyone with her?”

“Yeah, that fancy guy that comes in every once in a while and sits behind her and they pretend like no one can tell they’re talking to each other…him.”

“Mr. Fancy…” Angie said, narrowing her eyes.

“His name is really ‘Mr. Fancy’?”

Angie was shaken out of her thoughts and asked, “Sorry, what was that?”

“That guy, his name is really ‘Mr. Fancy’?”

“Oh, no, I don’t know his name actually.”

“No? Peg hasn’t mentioned it?”

Angie sighed and looked down at her hands, she suddenly felt ashamed that she hadn’t asked Peggy about him sooner. That she hadn’t acted on her suspicions and asked her what she really did for a living and that she didn’t make her stay until the coast was clear, she felt particularly stupid that she hadn’t thought of that earlier. If anything happened to Peggy, she wouldn’t be able to live with that.

Carla reached down and picked up Angie’s hand, squeezing it for comfort.

Angie looked at her and apologized, she smiled through tears and said, “Sorry, Car, I-” she stopped in mid-sentence as she remembered something.

“You don’t have to apologize to me, Ange,” she said and stopped at she realized Angie was working out something in her head. “What’s up?”

“I…I think I might know where he is…”

“Who?”

“Mr. Fancy,” Angie said, getting up and getting her purse and light jacket.

“Can I come too?”

“Yeah, c’mon, I gotta get something at the Dublin House,” Angie said.

“You going out for drinks now, at a time like this?” Carla was a little puzzled.

Angie chuckled and briefly closed her eyes, “No, honey, I left something there and I might be able to help Peggy.”

“I’ve got subway tokens, let’s go…”

“No, Car, cab fare is on me.”

“Oooh, someone’s rich…”

Angie laughed and walked arm in arm with Carla through the hall, down the stairs and out of the building. If you didn’t know the truth, you would have thought them two carefree girls going out to get a bite to eat. Angie didn’t stop when Ms. Fry noticed her going out the door and tried to call her back in. She and Carla picked up their pace and practically floated down the stairs as they broke into a run and Angie hailed a cab.

Carla was winded as she watched the cab pull up, “Gesu Crist en Croce, Angie, you can really run, you’re like that…come si chiamano? Short stop for the Dodgers…”

Angie broke into a wide smile as she got into the back of the cab, “Pee Wee Reese?”

“That’s him, God, you can fly,” Carla said, out of breath still, as she got into the cab next to Angie.

“Where to, girls?” The cabbie with the yellow hat said.

“The Dublin House, 79th street…”

“And step on it!” Carla interjected.

Angie looked at her with a smirk and a questioning look.

“What? That’s what they say in the movies, no?”

Angie just shook her head and threw an arm around Carla, hugging her from the side and laughing.

As they reached their destination and got out of the cab, the driver told Angie the fare and she paid it, giving him a nice tip because he did, in fact, drive pretty swiftly and they made it there fast.

“Thanks, doll, hey you ladies want some company in there or what?”

Carla pulled Angie to her and gave him the heave ho, “Take a hike, pal, this dame is mine,” she said, pointing towards the street with her thumb.

“Oh, hey, sorry, I didn’t mean to try to step in on anything, have a great night.”

Carla looked puzzled as he drove off, “I thought he would have been rude to us, he was actually a really sweet guy.”

When they got inside, Angie looked around and didn’t see Mr. Fancy.

“Car, I’m gonna go see Francis,” Angie said, pointing towards the bar. Carla nodded at her and sat at a side table.

“Hey, Angie! So good to see you, it’s been a while! You coming to catch up?”

Angie felt bad, she hadn’t been over to see Francis and the rest of his family for a couple of months. “Unfortunately, not today, Francis, I came to see someone,” she said.

“Oh yeah, who? Maybe I seen ‘em.”

“I don’t know yet,” Angie said, looking around covertly.

“It’s like that, huh?” he said, with a big smile on his face.

“What?”

“One of your performances, like you and Jack used to do for everyone and no one.”

He was talking about the times they would just walk in Jack’s house, doing a comedy bit that at first the family would think was serious and then as it got crazier and crazier they’d realize that it was their routine and would happily sit and watch the performance and roar with laughter.

“Oh, no, Francis, this is real. Have you seen a guy, sorta stiff, tall, shoulder’s out to here,” she held her arms out wide to illustrate.

“Yeah, I gotcha, he went to the john, kinda has a nervous stomach or somethin’,” he said, pouring a shot of whiskey and pushing it towards her. “Whatever it is you gotta do, it looks like you could use some liquid courage, am I right?”

She looked at the drink skeptically, she wanted to have a clear head, but one wouldn’t hurt to ease the nerves. She picked it up and shot it back quickly, feeling the burn go all the way down her throat and esophagus. It wasn’t unpleasant to her.

“Atta, girl,” Francis said, approvingly and then nodded his head over near the men’s bathroom. “There’s your man now.”

Angie wished she had another drink to steel her nerves, but there was no time for that. As Jarvis went to pass her, she stood in his way.

“Oh, terribly sorry, Miss…” he apologized for her getting in his way.

“Hey, um, you recognize me at all?” Angie asked.

He looked at her puzzled, then squinted, it wasn’t coming to him.

“I’m sorry, should I?” He was suddenly worried that she was one of Mr. Stark’s past amours and he crouched a little, ready to defend his shins.

“What’ll you have?” Angie stood there holding a pretend pad and pencil ready to take an order.

He looked really puzzled then.

“Coffee for you? Or would you prefer tea?”

Jarvis still looked puzzled, then it dawned on him. “Oh…you’re…” he said pointing at her, “From the automat, ah Miss…”

“Martinelli, Angie Martinelli.”

“Yes, now I recognize you, how coincidental that we meet like this,” he said, with an amused smile.

“Yeah, just wait until you hear what I coincidentally came here to tell you,” Angie said and pulled him over to the table where Carla was sitting.

He was a little surprised to see Carla, still in her L&L uniform and started to worry.

“Is this about what happened at the automat this afternoon? I’m terribly sorry that I broke the water jug,” he reached in his inside front jacket pocket to get out his wallet. “I assure you I can pay you back in full…”

“Save it, Mr. Fancy,” Angie said, holding up a hand. “That’s not what we’re here for.” Angie lowered her voice and said, “Peggy Carter’s been made.”

“I’m sorry?” Jarvis said, as he leaned towards her with turning his ear to her, like he didn’t hear her correctly.

“She’s been nabbed by the Feds,” Carla said, equally low voiced.

Jarvis’ face went white and he hung his head, “I told her not to go back to her place of residence…”

Angie narrowed her eyes at him, “Yeah, well maybe she needed to do something important.”

“Well, it was most certainly important, but in retrospect it could have waited until she was safe, it could have been sent for…”

“Maybe ‘it’ didn’t want to slow her down and be a liability,” Angie said, without thinking. She should have assumed Peggy wouldn’t have told him about her and he wouldn’t have known she was the reason Peggy went back to the Griffith.

“I think I might have missed some details,” Jarvis said, puzzled again.

“Never mind, look, she’s been taken, I assume down to the-” Angie looked around and was satisfied that no one could hear her. “Phone company.”

“Yes, I’m familiar with what they do there, they tried to detain me on a fabricated charge, once.”

Angie looked at him impressed.

“Well, all right then, so what’s your plan?” Angie asked.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Your plan, ya know, we gonna go case the joint?” Carla asked and Angie narrowed her eyes at her. “I’m sorry, Ange, I know, I gotta stop watching so many gangster movies.”

Jarvis tried to think of what he was going to do next and if he should be even telling these women this information. He felt that Miss Martinelli had to have been a close friend of Miss Carter’s or she wouldn’t be looking like she was about to jump out of her skin. He could tell she was worried; he’d been that way over Mr. Stark, several times when he was at the craps tables in Monaco, trying to lose the fortune he had built and almost succeeding squandering had Jarvis not stepped in and stopped him.

“I should be going,” Jarvis said, and went to get up. He had decided not to say anything to them, it would be easier, and safer for them.

“How’re you getting there?” Angie asked.

“In my motor,” Jarvis said, as if it were obvious.

“You said you’ve been hauled down there before, you think these Feds don’t know your car and won’t be on you like a rat on pizza?” Angie asked.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“A rat on pizza,” Carla repeated, helpfully. “Ya know, like flies on…” she stopped, trying to think of the word.

“Honey,” Angie finished for her.

“That,” Carla said and pointed at Angie.

“You think you’d get to set _one_ foot in that building?” Angie asked.

Jarvis was going to ask what again, but thought better of it, instead he said, “You’re right, what do you suggest?”

“I’ve got a car ready right outside, I’ll drop you off around the block from the phone company, you enter with guns blazing.”

“I don’t carry a gun,” Jarvis said, smoothing out the front of his jacket to show he wasn’t carrying anything.

“It’s a metaphor,” Angie said.

“Quite right,” Jarvis said, a little intimidated by this woman he just met. “I’m sorry, Miss Martinelli? Is it?”

“Yeah, that’s it. And what’s your name?”

“Edwin Jarvis, sorry, pleased to meet you,” he held his hand out for a shake.

Angie held his gaze for a couple of beats longer than was comfortable and then shook his proffered hand.

“How do you know Miss Carter? I mean besides from the automat, of course.”

“We’re roommates,” Angie said.

“Ah,” Jarvis realized that this must have been the person Peggy had been trying to tell him about for weeks now, without really trying to say anything about it. “I see.”

“I’m Carla Scotti, Peggy and Angie’s friend,” Carla said, and held her hand out to Jarvis to shake.

“Enchanted, Miss Scotti. Pleased to meet you,” Jarvis said, with a dapper smile.

Carla started to get that dreamy-eyed look when she met guys she thought were cute. Angie rolled her eyes, stood up and said, “We better get going, Mr. Fancy, they’re probably trying to intimidate her with lotsa jail time right now, and if they harm a hair on her head, I’m gonna have to go Sicilian on them.”

Carla’s eyes went wide and Jarvis looked a bit frightened at what that could mean.

Angie walked up to the bar, pulled herself up and leaned over it, pulling Francis in so she could put a kiss on his cheek. She was all business now.

“Thanks, Francis, I’ll be back with Peggy sometime.”

Francis lowered his voice and looked around quickly, “I’ve been dyin’ to ask, since she was in here the other night and talking my ear off about you. Are you and she…ya know…”

Angie smiled shyly and winked at him.

“Oh my God, Angie!”

“Shhh, it’s not all over town yet.”

“I know but…you and Cap’s girlfriend! That’s so…aces!”

“Who?” Angie asked, puzzled.

Carla rushed up behind Angie and said quickly, “Capo di tutti Capi.” Which made absolutely no sense whatsoever, but it was all she could think of to say.

“What?” Angie said.

“We better get going, Angie.” Carla said, stepping in front of her to introduce herself to Francis and hopefully take her mind off of what he just said.

“Nice to meet you, by the way, I’m Carla,” Carla said and extended her hand over the bar for Francis to shake.

Angie looked at the back of Carla’s head and asked, “Capo di tutti Capi?” she was still on that part, trying to figure it out.

“Nice to meet you, Carla,” Francis said. “You come back with Peggy and Angie, I’ll give you the first two rounds free.”

“Wow,” Carla said, in awe. “Thanks!”

“Edwin Jarvis,” Jarvis felt that if he didn’t introduce himself it would appear rude. He held his hand out for Francis to shake.

“Francis Powell,” Francis said, and shook Jarvis’ hand.

“Tell Carys I said hi, Francis and Granny Morison,” Angie said, as she was getting ready to follow Carla out of the bar.

“You should come and tell them yourself, Ange,” Francis said. “Carys has been asking after you.”

“I will, soon, I promise,” Angie smiled and left with a small wave.

The fact was that Carys looked too much like Jack and it was hard for Angie to see her sometimes and not get really sad about what happened. She’d have to get over that though, it wasn’t Carys’ fault how much she looked like her brother and it wasn’t Angie’s fault how he died.

Angie slid into the driver’s seat just as Jarvis was walking around to the driver’s side to get in the car, he opened the door and stared down at her.

“How am I supposed to drive?” He asked.

“From the passenger seat, I’m not sure how to get there, you’ll be my navigator. Besides, you think it’s wise to do a switch off on who’s driving, when we get down near the Fed building? I’m practically bringing this car to a rolling stop, kicking you out and then burning rubber. I’ve got something else to take care of.”

Jarvis nodded and then got in on the passenger side. Carla was holding the door for him.

“Thank you, Carla, I appreciate it,” he said, as she closed the door for him and then got into the backseat. “I just had a thought, would you mind waiting whilst I get my attaché? I have a confession to draw up.”

“Who’s?” Angie asked.

“Howard Stark’s,” Jarvis said, narrowing his eyes.

“Smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em,” Angie said and shrugged.

Jarvis nodded and gave her an uneasy smile before making his way to his car and popping the trunk.

“He’s cute,” Carla said, after Jarvis had gotten out of the car.

“I read that he’s married,” Angie said, looking in the rearview mirror.

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, don’t be so disappointed, Car, you’ll find someone.”

Carla sighed, looking out the back window wistfully, “I know, but it seems like all the great guys,” she cut her eyes back to the mirror to look at Angie, “and _girls_ , are taken.” Carla smiled.

Angie returned her smile widely, she did have a great girl, even though she was probably currently sitting in a cell. Oh boy, was that a sight she wished she had a photo of, just for future bargaining purposes.

Jarvis got into the passenger seat with his attaché, took out a piece of paper and a pen and started writing.

Angie tried to drive as fast as she could, but the traffic started to get heavy. Jarvis didn’t seem to mind as he busily scribed out at least five pages of Howard Stark’s supposed confession. Angie narrowed her eyes as she thought of what Francis said to her about Peggy being “Cap’s girl”. Jarvis, she had read in the papers, was Howard Stark’s butler; Howard Stark was linked with Captain America, they’d been friends since the war. Stark helped develop the machinery that helped deliver the Super Soldier serum that turned Steven _Grant_ Rogers into Captain America and Captain America was…Peggy Carter’s boyfriend.

Angie felt as dumb as she’s ever felt in her life.

As they pulled up to where Angie was going to drop Jarvis off, he signed the signature page to the confession with Howard’s signature as he had done many times before.

“Ah, we’ve arrived, perfect,” he said, as he gathered up the pages he had just written and tidied them into a neat stack and put them back in his case. “I thank you for your assistance, Miss Martinelli, and Carla,” he said, turning around, smiling at her and gave a short shake. He handed Angie the signature page. “I hope I don’t need to call on you for this, but do hold onto it, please. Does Miss Carter have your number?” He realized by her look that she did. “Very well, I shall go.”

“Good luck, Mr. Jarvis,” Angie said, finally using his real last name.

Jarvis looked at her sincerely grateful and impressed by her, “I hope to see you soon, Miss Martinelli, perhaps when we’re not trying to head off a trial for treason?”

“I’d like that,” Angie said and smirked at him. “Now get out and tell Peggy I said…hi.”

“I will,” he smiled at her and left the car.

They waited until he was around the corner before driving slowly around the block to make sure he made it in okay.

“Shouldn’t we wait to see what happens?” Carla asked, as she climbed over the backseat into the front and saw Angie was getting ready to pull back into the traffic lane.

Angie looked at her watch, “I’ve got to go call my mom.”

“Oh, Gesu! My mother,” Carla said, as she remembered that she would normally have been just getting off work right now and going to cook for her mother. “I forgot, can you drop me home, hon? I have to go cook.”

“Sure thing, I’ll call from down there,” Angie said, as she angled the car back into traffic and made her way down to Sullivan Street in Little Italy. As they pulled up outside of Carla’s building, she put her hand on Carla’s shoulder. “I can’t thank you enough, Car.”

“Hey, not a problem, Ange, what are sisters for right?” She smiled at her.

Angie nodded remembering something she had thought a few days ago, that they were like sisters. She smiled and Carla leaned in for a hug.

“You take care,” Angie said. “Tell your mom I said hello.”

“I will,” Carla said and pulled back, her face a mask of empathy. “Hey, I saw Peggy as she was making her getaway, she had come from around the corner, she must have high tailed it out of the back of the joint,” Carla stopped for a moment and looked deeply into Angie’s eyes, hoping the look conveyed her sincerity. “…she looked really, really sorry, like real sorry, did you get to see her?”

“Yeah, she made it to see me, I don’t know what’s going on yet, honestly. But I sure as hell am gonna find out.”

“You had no idea?” Carla asked.

“No, she told me she worked for the phone company.”

Carla looked sad and said, “No, I meant about…” she suddenly got shy about saying it.

Angie saw her fighting with herself to tell her something. Then she realized what it was.

“About Peggy and Captain America?”

Angie chuckled sadly, “I’m so dumb, I didn’t put two and two together,” she shook her head. “I even quoted _Betty Carver_ back to her.”

“Ooh,” Carla made a face. “Is that gonna hurt your relationship?”

“She did tell me about him, Car, just not that he was Superman, you know? She called him by his middle name when she told me. I’m pretty sure she was going to tell me, then decided at the last second to change his name. But, she told me that he was from Brooklyn, had a best friend who died in Europe during the war, that his parents had died…all of it. If she had told me who he was for real, she would have blown her cover. So, no, it’s not going to break us up or anything if that’s what you mean.”

Carla sighed, relieved and said, “Oh good, I was worried.”

Angie looked at her sincerely, “I appreciate everything you do for me, ya know. You’ve done a lot.”

Carla leaned in for another hug.

“Well, I better get up there,” Carla said, as the hug broke and nodded towards her apartment. “You call me with any updates, or just if you need to talk, okay?” She asked, as she got out of the car.

“I will, Car, you take care.”

“Yeah, take care of yourself too, Ange,” Carla said, and then quickly slid back into the car to give Angie another hug. “I can see it in your face that you’re blaming yourself for her getting pinched. Stop that right now, Angie Martinelli, you didn’t do nothing of the kind.” Carla said, and squeezed Angie tighter.

Angie couldn’t really find words to say, she was touched by this gesture and the words that Carla said, because deep down, she _was_ blaming herself. For everything.

After another squeeze, Carla was gone.

Angie waited until Carla opened a front window of her apartment and waved out of it, signaling she made it in safely, then she waited until traffic was clear to pull out.

Then she made a right on Prince St., went down to 6th Avenue, made another right, and pulled over after a bit and parked. She got out and ran down the block, ducking into the Bryant Park Tavern to make her phone call.

*****

As soon as Dooley, Thompson and Sousa had Stark’s confession, any shred of good feelings they had left for Peggy had died once they read it. She was nothing more than his whore, a stupid patsy that he duped to get her to try to prove his innocence once the feds had started closing in on him. They would have never fallen for something so obvious.

The fact that they were so quick to believe that story and Jarvis being the one to write it, made her neither angry, nor wanting revenge, it made her sad. Sad in her fellow man, that they would believe a thing like that of her so quickly and sad because Jarvis thought it plausible enough to write that about her, even though it was fake. Still in the end, she felt somewhat grateful to him for trying to save her no matter how flawed the attempt turned out to be.

As she looked out the windows in the office, she thought of giving them what they wanted, what was in the “Blitzkrieg Button”, she’d have to think more about that though, she didn’t want to give up the last bit of Steve just to save herself, she wanted it to be for the greater good. If there were some other way to save herself, she would explore that before being so hasty in her desire for self-preservation. Though, that maxim was tested soon enough, when Jarvis confessed that Howard wasn’t actually coming, in fact, she almost came unglued. He told her that he panicked and wrote that false confession thinking they would release Peggy as soon as they read it, or at least once Howard showed up with the signature page. He didn’t tell her what plan he had for how the signature page would be delivered to Howard, once someone got a hold of him. Peggy was livid, it was true, she would be hanged alongside these two wankers and she’d never get to tell Angie her story.

Angie.

Since Peggy had left the Griffith, there hadn’t been much time to think of her, she wondered what she was doing at the moment, what she was thinking. Would she be relieved that Peggy was out of her hair? She thought of all the times Angie gave of herself for Peggy’s sake, especially the look she had on her face as Peggy said good bye to her earlier that day and she shook that thought straight away from her mind and scolded herself for thinking it at all.

Angie would probably be frantic, and if the government didn’t hang her then Mrs. Lucia Colombo Martinelli certainly would. She had to get out of this mess quickly and she and Jarvis would have to put their heads together and think what angle they could work.

Jarvis had suggested something he had heard Carla say earlier in the car on the way down to the SSR, while he was writing the false confession. She had asked if maybe they should go buy a cake and then to a pawn shop to buy a gun, they could cut the top off the cake, hollow the center out, put the gun inside and then when Jarvis brought it in to the SSR, she said, “Peggy could somehow get the drop on them, stick her hand in the cake, and voila, gun in hand, she hightails it out with Edwin.”

After Peggy heard his idea of luring one of the SSR agents in to where they were currently being held in the conference room, Peggy shot it down faster than Mr. Stark had gone through socks; which he was always leaving in the homes of his amorous liaisons, apparently because their husband or boyfriend would invariably show up. She had also berated him for using “Get the drop on them” in an actual sentence. He thought for sure that phrase would have impressed Peggy, because he was pretty impressed by it himself, when he heard it.

Though, he remembered Miss Martinelli, had the same reaction when she heard it, as Miss Carter just did. Miss Martinelli had scolded her, “Carla, you have to stop watching those cops and robbers movies. They’re making you dangerously overconfident in criminal situations.”

After that, Jarvis definitely didn’t want to tell Peggy, that Angie had brought him here in her car. He certainly didn’t want to lie or keep that from her, but he also didn’t want to catch an earful. Especially because the confession also hadn’t gone so well, and because he by now realized that she and Miss Carter were quite close and he knew she would be upset that Angie was even in the proximity of any danger and would have berated her for letting Angie talk him in to driving him to the SSR, so he had led her to believe that he figured out she was captured all on his own.

After pacing around the conference room for a while, Peggy settled up against the table and looked out through the windows into the office of her former colleagues. She saw Daniel going about his business and thought of trying to appeal to his good nature, but then he was the one who started this whole business, of her being in custody, in motion. He didn’t believe that she would be doing this investigation for anything but nefarious purposes. She thought he was different, but apparently, even though he wasn’t as bad as Thompson, or Krezmenski, he never came to her about what he had found and asked her about it, he thought he was a traitor. She would have confessed right then and there and asked for his help.

Possibly, anyway.

Actually, she didn’t blame Sousa; he was just doing his job as he saw fit. She briefly wondered if he wasn’t getting even because she had rebuffed his advances, however respectful they were, she still had turned him down for a date a couple of times in the past six months. She hadn’t been ready, the wound of losing Steve had still been raw and then when he had asked a second time, she was already in her relationship with Angie. She pushed the thought of retaliation out of her mind, she still considered him to be an honorable person, but just not someone who was willing to bend the rules for her. If she were ever to get out of this mess, she would have to tell him about her, so that he would know it wasn’t that she found him unattractive or a person that she wouldn’t consider dating, he had just been in the right place, at the wrong time in her life.

Truth be told, it did bother her a little, well, _a lot_ , that he didn’t trust her. The only thing she had to compare him to was Angie and the look on Angie’s face as Peggy told her that the federal agents that were practically knocking down the door to her apartment were for her. Angie had immediately understood, steeled her nerve and faced them with courage, tenacity and creativity in throwing them off Peggy’s trail.

She had only wished she waited longer before leaving the apartment, but she thought it best to get away as quickly as possible. For one, she didn’t want to drag on the leaving, or else she probably would have insisted Angie go with her, and for two, she wanted to clear her name in the quickest way possible, in order to make Angie proud of her and so they could get on with their lives together. Obviously, she also wanted to be able to save the Russian girls being used as assassins and to help her adopted country defeat this new threat Leviathan. I would be all for naught now, if she didn’t come up with a way to get herself out of this current jam.

*****

“Hey, Ma,” Angie said, her voice a little sad. She was going to be all business and just give the facts and tell her mother what happened and not to worry and ask her to call her cousin to see if he knew anything, but when she heard her mother’s voice, all the rest went out the window. She was a little girl again, who had skinned her knee on the playground and needed her mommy.

“Hiya Angie, my darling, what’s wrong? You get turned down for another part? Don’t be sad, my angel, you’ll get something soon,” her mother said, rapidly, trying to keep Angie from sulking.

“No, Ma…”

“Where are you calling from, it sounds loud, like there’s a party going on.”

Angie pulled the booth door closed.

“Ooh, that’s better,” Mrs. Martinelli said. “If it’s not about a part then what, darling?”

Angie sighed and just decided to go for it, “I need you to get in touch with Uncle Frankie.” It’s true that he was her mother’s cousin, but out of respect, all of Lucy’s kids had called him uncle.

“What for?” Mrs. Martinelli said, getting concerned.

“Peggy’s been arrested…”

“Oh, Madonna Mio, what happened?!”

“I don’t know, I think it’s got something to do with that Howard Stark treason stuff.”

Mrs. Martinelli was about to scold Peggy for not watching her back, but she realized Angie was in pain and it wouldn’t help, so she asked, “What do you need me to do?”

“I don’t know really, I just maybe hoped he could kinda watch out for her while she’s in custody, make sure they don’t get tough with her during questioning.”

“Oh my God, yeah, if they touch one hair on that girl’s head…” Mrs. Martinelli said, menacingly and it made Angie smile because she had the same thought. “…I wouldn’t be able to be trusted, they’d lock me up too. Okay, Pip, I’ll call him. You need anything else, sweetheart?”

“If Vin and Pop could come get the scash that would be really helpful, I was gonna bring it back, but I feel like I need to be here just in case.”

“You do what you feel is best, my darling. I’ll tell them. You take care of yourself, okay? Don’t get too down, Peggy is a strong and brave girl, she’ll come through this fine. I’m sure it’s all a misunderstanding. It’s that facacta Howard Stark that’s got her all mixed up in his nonsense, like you said.”

Angie sighed relieved, her mother was probably right, it all would work out in the end, she just had to be patient. Having heard her mother talk so confidently about everything, she felt better.

“Yeah, I’ll bet that’s exactly what it is,” Angie said, trying not to reveal that she knew too much, just in case it would jeopardize Jarvis’ scheme. “Okay, Ma, the lady is telling me I only have a minute left. Tell them to blow the horn and I’ll come down to give them the keys.”

“Alright, sweetheart, you take care. I love you and don’t worry.”

“I love you too, Mommy, and I won’t or at least I’ll try not to,” Angie said, with a sad smile.

“I know, honey, talk to you soon,” Mrs. Martinelli said, blew a kiss into the phone and the line went dead. “Oh, Jesus Christ on a Cross, Peggy Carter. You are so lucky I love you,” she said, as she shook her head and pushed her finger on the cradle to get a dial tone, she then dialed her cousin’s work number.

“Frankie, Lucy,” Mrs. Martinelli said, when he answered.

“Hey Lucy, what’s up? I’m kinda busy here.”

“You haven’t been over for my lasagna in a while, I was just seeing if you and Mattie had time on Sunday to stop over?”

“What time?”

“Two thirty, for starters, then we eat around five.”

“Are you making cannolis?”

“What do you think?”

“We’ll be there,” Frankie laughed. “It’s good to hear from you, Lucy, I’m sorry, we’ve been pretty busy with new policies lately. Everyone’s back from the war and buying houses and cars, like you wouldn’t believe! And the kids they’re having!”

“Oh, I can believe it. Well, I better let you get back to it, you have a great day.”

“You too, Luce, thanks for the invite,” Frankie said, sincerely.

“Don’t mention it, see you Sunday,” Mrs. Martinelli said.

“So long,” Frankie said.

“Yeah, so long.”

Ten minutes later the phone rang in the Martinelli house and Lucy who was waiting for the call picked it up.

“Luce, it’s Frankie, che cosa?”

“You calling from an outside line?”

“Whatta you think I am? A novice?”

“No, sorry, just checking,” Lucy said. “You can never be too careful.”

“That’s truer than you know,” he smirked. “So, what’s going on, everything okay there?”

“Whatta you know about this Peggy Carter arrest?”

Frankie looked up at the sky and shook his head, he was smiling as he did it. It never seemed to fail, his cousin always knew something she wasn’t supposed to. “How do _you_ know about it? Not that I’m saying there _is_ such a thing.”

“Never you mind, I just want to know if you think it’s legit.”

“Look Luce, I can’t reveal too much about it, but no, I don’t think it’s legit. I think they’re doing this to get to that yoyo, Stark.”

“How’s he got her in it?”

“How do you know about her?”

“She’s a friend of Angie’s and you should know she was a friend of Pat’s.”

“Yeah, I knew, but I didn’t know she knew Angie.”

“They met at Angie’s automat,” Lucy said.

“You know I was glad I didn’t see her today; I had to go down there and question them after Agent Carter tore the place up and put at least three of our guys in traction.”

An awed smile bloomed on Lucy’s face, “Oh, Gesu. She did all that?”

“She did indeed,” her cousin said, with the same smile on his face, he had been outside when Jarvis barred the door and marveled at the almost balletic show she put on, with her fists and feet.

“So, what can you give me that can help her?”

“I think if you can try to reach out to Howard Stark and get him to give himself up, that’d help her a lot. We’ve been trying to get through to him, but he’s got some contraption or something that allows him to see it’s our number and doesn’t pick up.”

An idea popped into Lucy’s head and she smiled wide, “I think I might have an idea…”

Frankie listened to her idea and nodded at the genius of it, he took out his notebook, flipped to a page and said, “I think that’s a great idea, I always told you, you shoulda tried out for the outfit, you’d be great for this line of work.”

“Yeah, as a secretary, picking up your coffee and sandwiches and doing your filing? No thanks. I can do that at home and not get shot at,” she shrugged.

Frankie laughed and said, “You ready for this number?”

“Yeah, shoot,” she said, with her pen and paper in hand.

He gave her the number then asked, “You got it?”

“Yes, thanks a million, Frank, if this pays off, I’ll make you cannoli, tiramisu, ricotta pie and zeppoli.”

“Zeppoli! Oh my, Lucy, I hope it does work out. That Carter is a really good person, I haven’t met her, but the guys in her office, that ain’t jerks, speak very highly of her.”

“If we pull this off, you’ll meet her Sunday, with Angie.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah,” Lucy said, with a smile on her face.

Frankie shook his head at his younger cousins’ pick in women and smiled. “That Angie…”

“Ain’t she something?” Mrs. Martinelli said, proudly.  
“She really is…okay, Lu, I really gotta get going, give Angie, Angelo, and Vinny my best.”

“You’ll give it to them yourself on Sunday. Bobby’s back in town, he said he’d come and sing for us.”

“Oh, hey! Yeah, I almost forgot. Can you tell Bobby they’re wiretapping him again, so tell him to cool it with the subversive stuff, I know he only does it to rattle the establishment, but word is J. Edgar really has it out for him and he might make it stick this time.”

“Oh, Gesu Crist en Croce, he’s just jealous because Freddy moved in with Bob and he didn’t.”

“ _You_ know it, _I_ know it, but _you_ try to tell that guy Hoover anything, he’s a little out there.”

“A little?! Frankie, _Pluto_ is ‘a little out there’ compared to that chooch.”

Frankie laughed and said, “Okay, now I really do have to go, I hope I get to see you on Sunday, but if Stark don’t turn himself in, I’m gonna be pulling triple overtime.”

“Oh boy, well, I hope this idea of mine works and I hope we see you, too. Oh, one more thing, can you make sure they don’t get too cute with Peggy? It wouldn’t go over well in the Martinelli household if they tried that rough stuff with her.”

“Don’t you worry about that, I got a buddy inside that branch, he’s not too close with the guys there, but he’s got his ear to the ground and I’ll make sure he knows what to do if that happens.”

“I really appreciate that, Frankie. I’ll talk to you, give everyone my love. Be good.”

“You too and you do the same for me. So long,” he said, and then hung up.

Lucy went to make the next call and stopped. She got up off the bed to see if anyone was outside the door. There wasn’t so she closed it, sat back down and dialed the number to the Griffith. She waited as it rang a few rings and then someone finally picked up.

“Oh, hiya, Carol, is it? Hi, yeah, it’s Mrs. Martinelli, how are you? Oh, that’s good, listen Carol, I wonder if you could do me a favor, do you know if Angie’s around anywhere? Oh good, thank you, darling, I’ll hold yeah, thanks.”

Lucy waited a couple of minutes and finally her daughter picked up the phone.

“Hey, Ma, what’s up? I just got in.”

“Good, I’m glad, darling. I think I got something that can help someone, but I can’t tell you while you’re _you know_.”

“I gotcha, talk to you later,” Angie said, understanding completely.

“Okay,” Mrs. Martinelli said, glad her daughter understood her cryptic message.

Angie hung up the phone and left straight away. She tried not to look too suspicious, so she didn’t flat out run, but she walked really swiftly outside of the Griffith and then once out on 63rd street she broke into a blistering pace.

Approximately four minutes later, the phone rang at the Martinelli house and Lucy picked up, “Angie is this you?”

“Yeah, Ma.”

“Where you calling from?”

Angie rolled her eyes, her mother always wanted to know where you were calling from, “The drugstore on the corner, what’s up?” she was a little out of breath.

“Wow, that was quick,” her mother said.

“I run fast; you know this…”

“Yeah, good girl, okay, so I got a tip from someone…who I’m not telling who it was,” Mrs. Martinelli said.

Angie narrowed her eyes and tried to make sense of that statement, finally she understood, “Yeah, I gotcha, what’s the tip?”

“It’s a phone number for that facacta Stark, it’s definitely his fault Peggy’s in this trouble and I think we can get him to get her out of it, _if_ , and that’s a big if, he shows up down there at that phone company. You got a paper and pen?”

“No, I left the place so fast I didn’t have time to stop for any.”

“Well, how are you going to remember the number?!”

“Ma, I memorize lines all the time, tell it to me,” Angie said and listened intently as her mother relayed the number.

“You got it?” Mrs. Martinelli asked.

“Yeah,” Angie said.

“Tell it back to me,” Mrs. Martinelli said and nodded as her daughter repeated it. “Buona, you really do have a good memory.”

“Thanks, Ma, and really, thanks for this. I hope it works.”

“Don’t thank me, thank…well, I shouldn’t say, but you just call that number and try to get him down to that phone company office. You got it?”

“Yeah, I got it.”

“Tell me the number again,” Mrs. Martinelli said, and again nodded as Angie perfectly relayed the number one more time. “Okay, you’ve got it. Be good, sweetheart. Break a leg,” she added and smiled.

“I will, thanks Ma, I’ll call now.”

“Ooh, wait, he’s got some kind of gadget that allows him to see the number that’s calling, he’s got an invention for everything apparently, except one to get his ass out of trouble that doesn’t involve your girlfriend…”

“Ma, I appreciate the back up on what a jadrool he is, but I have to go call that jadrool now. I’m getting worried about how long it’s been for her in there…”

“Okay, yeah, sorry sweetie, just call from inside the Griffith, I don’t think they’d be listening to your call and who cares anyway right? If they nab him, then it’s better for Peggy.”

“You’re right, okay, I’ll talk to you later. Love you Ma, and thanks again.”

“Love you too, sweetheart, go, run…but be careful!”

Mrs. Martinelli shook her head, shrugged and then made another call.

A British accented man answered, who she assumed was their butler.

She made her voice all fancy and uppercrust, “Yes, good evening, may I speak to Mr. Roberto Martinelli? It’s his sister-in-law, Lucia.” She held her head hoity-toity-ly.

“Lucia! What a surprise,” the now Brooklyn accented voice on the other end of the line was truly happy to hear from her.

“Freddy! I’m so happy to get you on the phone, I thought maybe youse were out somewhere having a good time on the town.”

“On a Tuesday? Lucy, who do you think we are? Royalty?”

“Practically…”

“Oh, you’re such a dear!” Freddy said, laughing. “What’s cooking, toots? Is that what the kiddies say these days? Did you need something for Sunday?”

“No, I got something for Bobby and I can’t tell him over the phone, it’s more of a visual. I want to see if it fits.”

“Oh, yeah, sure, doll. I’ll tell him. He’s actually over in Brooklyn right now rehearsing for his show next week.”

“My God, I almost forgot! I have to pick up my dress and make my hair appointment!”

“Honey, just wear your Dodgers jersey, no one over there will complain,” Freddy said and added. “Besides, you’re gorgeous in anything, sweetie.”

Lucy got embarrassed and blushed three shades of red. “Oh, you!” She said, laughing. “You really know how to butter up an old broad!” She dismissed him with a wave even though he wouldn’t see it.

“I’m telling you, if your current situation and mine doesn’t work out, you give me a call,” Freddy said.

“You are some kinda charmer, and you know, it would work out because I think we wear the same dress size…”

“You see? We’re made for each other!”

Lucy shook her head and laughed, she loved talking to Freddy, he was such a joy.

“I tell you, Fred, why don’t you and Bobby come over tomorrow night, I’ll have him try it on then.”

“Yeah, Lu, that’ll work, he doesn’t have rehearsals late.”

“Good, see you then,” she said, with a smile. “Take care, love.”

“You too, mia bella,” Freddy said, made a kissing noise into the phone and then hung up. He could sense Lucy was trying to tell him something and he surmised she couldn’t do that over the phone. “I bet it’s that damned queen, JR, tapping our phones again!” He said in a huff putting his hands on his hips.

*****

Angie ran back into the Griffith and just made it to the phone in the hall before Lorraine had a chance to get to it.

“Sorry, Lorraine, I got an important call to make,” Angie said, out of breath.

“Oh, that’s okay, Angie, you look like you just ran a mile.”

“Not quite, but it was in record time.”

Lorraine shook her head and smiled at her, “You got a hot date to catch?”

“Yeah…well, I’m going to let him down gently as I can,” Angie said, deciding to put on some acting chops. “It’s a guy who’s been trying to take me out, he’s such a jerk though.”

“Who? Do I know him?”

“Uh, Howard Stark?” Angie couldn’t think of anything else to say, and somehow she wanted to see Lorraine’s reaction.

“Howard?! He’s been after you? I mean, well, I know Peggy snuck him up to her room, said something about being her cousin, but…”

Angie hadn’t planned on hearing that tidbit of information and now she was curious, really curious.

“When was this?”

“A few days ago, when she didn’t want to stay down in the dining room and was stealing food. He must have been real hungry after they…”

If Angie had superhuman strength the phone would have been easily crushed into a thousand pieces, as it was it did creek a bit.

Lorraine’s eyes got big as she looked at Angie’s hand, “You might want to rethink letting him down at all, Angie. Looks like you could punch Peggy in the face the next time you see her.”

Angie relaxed her grip on the phone’s handset and smiled at Lorraine. “Oh, no, there’s no hard feelings there, Lorraine, she can have him, I’m not going to fight her for him.”

“He…is…pretty persuasive,” Lorraine sing-songed as she passed Angie, holding up a hand to wave goodbye and went down the stairs to the second floor’s phone to make her call.

Angie shook her head, closed her eyes and dialed the phone number she just recalled from the recesses of her brain.

“Good evening, Mr. Stark’s answering service, who shall I say is calling?”

Angie didn’t think of what she was going to say to that, so she just said, “Angie Martinelli.”

“Hold the line please, I’ll see if he’s free.”

Angie waited a minute or so before the woman came back on the line. She could have sworn the woman didn’t actually put her on hold and was only covering the microphone part of the handset with her hand. She thought she could hear muffled talking.

Finally, the woman came back on the line, “I’m sorry, I’m ringing and he’s not picking up, would you like to leave a message?”

“No, no message, thanks.”

“Okay, Miss.”

Angie hung up the phone and hesitated before calling back, she really had to think of something to get through. She figured he was there with the woman and they were just pretending that he was using an answering service.

Angie paced up and down the hallway, trying to think of what say to get passed the woman, she didn’t want to bring up Peggy to her, just in case she was taking information for the Feds, especially because she had used her own name. Just then she heard a beep of a car horn and realized it was her father and Vinny coming to get the keys to the car.

She went to her room picked up the keys off her bureau and ran downstairs and outside to greet them.

Vinny got out of the car to get the keys from her and her father got out excitedly and picked her up in a bear hug.

“Oh, my God, Pip! I almost don’t wanna tell you because you’ll be upset you didn’t get to see it!” Her father shouted at her.

“What?!”

“You’ll never believe it!” Vinny said.

“What?!”

“Head threw a no-hitter!”

“What?!” She couldn’t believe what she had just heard.

Her father and brother both nodded their heads enthusiastically.

“Ed Head, my favorite pitcher, from my favorite baseball team, in my favorite city, in the best country on the planet, threw a no-hitter. Today. You two were there and asked me to go and I couldn’t go?”

They both kept nodding but changed their faces to sad looks when she said that part about not being able to go with them.

“But look, Pip! I got a program for you.”

Angie looked at it with a furrowed brow and at first, she thought there was a smudge on it, but then saw that it had been signed.

“You…you got his autograph?!”

“Yeah, we got it for _you_ , sweetheart,” her father said and held it out to her.

“Plus, here,” Vinny said and took a ball out of his jacket and showed her. “I caught Anderson’s two run homer and got him, Head and Reese to sign it, I know you like them.”

“To cheer you up, ya know? Because you didn’t get that part in the show you was up for,” her father said, smiling.

Angie looked at both items, not really knowing what to say. She couldn’t believe that one of the worst days of her life, in more ways then one, could turn out to have some bright spots in it. All thanks to her family.

“I couldn’t though, you guys got them…” She said, trying to refuse their gifts.

“What? No! You take them! What you think Head’s not gonna throw another no hitter in his life? He was magical tonight,” Mr. Martinelli said, not taking any refusals from Angie.

Vinny said a little bitterly, “He almost had a perfect game, three lousy walks and one error by Pee Wee,” he was obviously unimpressed by that fact.

“Pee Wee had an error?”

“Yeah, I think it took a bad hop and wasn’t playable, but then it would have been scored a hit, so I guess it worked out.”

“I still say if that hadn’t happened, those other three were strike outs and they didn’t want that poor man to have any perfect games. They save those for the _real_ bums over in the Bronx,” Mr. Martinelli said, bitterly.

Angie started to reach out for the book and ball, but stopped herself and said, “I really shouldn’t.”

“No, Pip, you really should. Come on, take ‘em,” Mr. Martinelli said.

“Really?”

“Really,” her father said and Vinny nodded.

“Thank you, _so_ much,” Angie was in awe and hugged them both after taking the items.

“You’re welcome, we thought you could use a real pick me up.”

“Plus, Dad said if you found out that Head threw a no-hitter and we didn’t bring some real special souvenirs back you’d be pretty sore at yourself for turning us down,” Vinny said.

“Well, I will kick myself until doomsday, but I really appreciate you guys bringing me this, you’re the best father and brother a girl could have.”

“Good, I’m glad,” her father smiled at her and then his face went serious. “Now, we gotta get going, we’re double parked and I see a horse cop coming our way.” He and Vinny gave Angie another quick hug and Vinny got in the driver’s seat of the car they came in, as their father got in the driver’s seat of the scash, and they each waved one more time at Angie and then they pulled away in turn.

She looked down at her haul and smiled, then she realized she had better get back to what she was doing. Looking at her watch she judged it to be a perfect distraction because she wanted to wait, at least, ten minutes before she called Stark back and it was about that length of time.

This time when she went back to the phone in the hall there was no one around. She dialed the number she had memorized and again the same “operator” picked up.

Angie thought quickly of her new tact.

“Who shall I say is calling?” The woman asked.

“Antoinette Masterelli,” Angie said, in a slightly huskier voice. She waited as she heard the muffled tug of war going on, on the other end of the line and then Howard Stark was on the line.

“Hey, Antoinette, how’s it going, baby? You missed me? I’ve been thinking of you sweetie, you don’t know how bad I’ve got it for you…”

Angie eyerolled and put some sugar in her voice, “Hi Howie…” she dragged out his name sexily.

“Oooh, babe, you sound sexier, you get something done to your voice?”

Angie heard a loud bang in the background and jumped slightly.

“What was that?” She said, forgetting her sexy voice.

“That? Oh, nothing, just…I have the window open and the door banged shut. What’s up honeypie, you want old Howie to come see you tonight? I’ve got my tongue all limbered up for you…”

Angie was about gag but held it together, Peggy needed her to do this right.

She put urgency and authority into her voice and said, “Stark, listen, Peggy Carter has been arrested. Edwin Jarvis, your butler, is currently down at SSR headquarters with a confession from you that presumably gives some phony story about how you were behind the whole thing and letting Peggy off the hook.” Angie was remembering the few sentences of the letter she had seen as Jarvis wrote frantically while they were stuck in traffic.

“Who is this?” Howard finally asked.

“A friend of Peggy’s,” Angie said.

“Do I know you, have we met?”

“No, we haven’t and no you don’t.”

“You sound real nice, do you want to meet me?”  
Angie closed her eyes and kept her composure, she wanted to scream into the phone but that wouldn’t help the situation.

She decided to go with giving him some hope that they’d be able to meet for some loving time, which is all that he presumably thought about, “Maybe someday, but right now, I think you should get your tail down to the SSR and get both of them sprung loose, do you think you could do that?”

“How do I know this is legit?”

“Call Agent Frank Colombo down at the Chinatown branch, he can confirm. And Stark?”

“Yeah?”

Angie put the syrupy sexiness back into her voice, “You do this right and there’ll be something in it for you…”

Angie hung up and had to shake her head of what that would mean to Howard, but she chuckled because she knew what it meant for her. A big uppercut to the chin.

She went back to her apartment and looked around. Even though nothing was missing from it, it felt unbelievably empty and she suddenly wished she had gone to her parents. It was going to be another hard night alone without Peggy.

Angie heard some of the women around her door talking and went out to see what was going on.

“Hey, Angie,” Carol said, greeting her, trying to be upbeat.

“Hi Carol,” she nodded at her, a little puzzled. “Vera, Lorraine, Sarah,” Angie said that last name a little bitterly, she still hadn’t forgiven her for their breakup. Although, her relationship with Peggy was making her forget that she had ever fallen in love with Sarah, she would never forget how she found out she was being cheated on. Angie had walked in on a threesome that Sarah was having with a man and a woman. Sarah tried to play it off as just a fun thing to do, and even invited her in to join them, but she slammed the door and that was it.

Angie looked around at the group, “What’s up?”

“Miriam wants us downstairs for a lecture,” Carol said, with an eyeroll. “I wish I didn’t have to go to it, but…I’m kinda curious.”

“You knew her best, Angie, did you have any inkling?” Vera asked.

“I…I didn’t, not really, but I know she’s not a traitor.”

“God, I hope not, she owes me ten bucks,” Lorraine said, and shrugged at Carol who looked at her questioningly. “What? She said she needed it to pay Miriam for breaking curfew and would pay me back tonight.”

So, that’s where the ten dollars that mysteriously showed up in Angie’s wallet had come from this morning. Angie shook her head, she became sad at the thought that maybe Peggy had realized she wouldn’t be able to keep their date with Millie this Sunday and just decided to pay the ten dollars.

“I asked you for five dollars the other day and you told me you were broke,” Sarah said, a little perturbed.

“I thought she would put a good word in for me with Howard…”

“Oh, Lorraine,” Sarah said, “he doesn’t do callbacks, girl. Once he’s done with you, that’s it. I should know,” she said and showed off a really nice diamond bracelet on her left wrist.

“Those are real?” Carol’s eyes popped out of her head. “I thought they were paste!”

“Paste your momma’s patootie!” Sarah looked disappointed in Carol. “You girls coming to this thing?”

“Yeah, I’m coming,” Lorraine said, and hooked her arm through Sarah’s.

“One second, you go down, girls. We’ll be right behind.” Carol said and watched as they left to go down the stairs. She then looked at Angie sympathetically, “Ange, hey, we’re sorry about all that’s going on…we…know…ya know…”

Angie furrowed her brow and said, “What?”

“Ya know…that you and Peggy were…more than friends…” Carol looked like she was trying her best to tread lightly and Vera nodded her agreement.

“What? No…we were close…but…”

Carol moved in closer and lowered her voice, “Angie, don’t worry, we’re not gonna blow your cover, we understand.”

“But…why do you think we were more than just friends?”

Carol looked at her and tilted her head, “You really don’t know?”

Angie furrowed her brow and shook her head no.

“Well, honey, unless you’ve changed your name to ‘Oh Angie’ and she’s changed hers to ‘Jesus Peggy’, we kinda figured there might be some hanky panky going on…”

Angie’s eyes got wide at the realization that there might have been a few occasions where they woke up their neighbors with their passionate lovemaking, even though they thought they were being quiet and careful.

Angie looked at the floor and blushed, “I’m sorry,” she said.

“Don’t be,” Vera stepped in and put a hand on her arm. “Besides, it kinda gave us something to do, coming up with your story.”

“Our story?”

“Yeah, it ain’t every day the girl across the hall brings home Captain America’s girlfriend to practically live with her,” Carol said, with an impressed smile.

“You knew about that?”

Carol and Vera looked at her like she sprouted three heads, “Angie, Captain America was all we ever talked about in high school, I think I styled my hair like Peggy’s every time we went to see him, hoping he’d suddenly pick _me_ over her.”

Vera nodded her head, “Gee, what we did as kids, huh?”

“Do you think anyone else knew?” Angie asked, suddenly worried that someone might have told Miriam.

“Don’t think so, just us around your apartment, though Lorraine seems oblivious sometimes, oh, then there’s Dottie, I think she knew because she was _especially_ interested in you two. Always asking questions. We thought maybe she was jealous…”

“Of who? Me?”

“Oh, yeah,” Vera nodded emphatically. “I don’t think she’s all there, though, so I never thought anything of it.”

“Well, Angie, we better get going or Miriam will call out a search party, but really, don’t worry, your secret is safe with us. I’m kinda jealous myself though,” Carol said.

“Why?”

“Whatta ya mean ‘why’? Getting to have your sweetheart stay overnight in your apartment practically every night?” She said, impressed.

Vera added, “ _Without_ them having to risk their neck on the ledge, or drainpipe outside?”

Angie looked a little guilty about that and said, “Well…as a matter of fact…”

“She _didn’t_ …why?” Carol asked, when Angie had nodded her head.

“Dottie had knocked on the door and was keeping me preoccupied with her pictures of Uncle Seefus and his hats…Peggy hid in the bathroom, went back over to her place by the ledge and came out of her front door to try to help me get rid of her.”

“Oh, my God!” Carol was shocked but impressed.

Vera burst out laughing, “Oh, Gee…that Peggy is something.”

Angie’s smile turned sad as she thought about Peggy on the ledge today and Carol moved closer to put an arm around her waist.

“Whatever it is, she’s gonna beat that charge, Angie, don’t you worry about that.”

Angie sighed and returned the sideways hug. “Thanks Carol.”

Vera came up to her from the other side and put her arm around her shoulders, “Yeah, don’t you worry about nothing, she’s smart and she’s not what Miriam’s saying she is, a traitor, you just remember that.”

“Miriam is saying that?” Angie asked, as her eyes narrowed.

Vera became a little scared, “I…well…”

“Don’t worry about it, Vera, we’ll go down and see,” Angie said.

“C’mon, let’s follow the Yellow Brick Road, girls…” Carol said, turning the group towards the stairway and looking at Angie. “To Oz?”

“To Oz,” Angie chuckled.

“Ohhhh, we’re off to see the Witchard, the miserable Witchard of 63rd…” Vera sung and they all laughed walking arm and arm downstairs to the dining hall.

*****

Back at the SSR, Peggy and Jarvis were now convinced that Johann Fenhoff was signaling in Morse code to someone across the street. Peggy had spotted it and got a pad and pen to write down what he was messaging. The problem now was that they had to find a way to convince the SSR agents that they were telling the truth because they had less than an hour and a half to head off whatever he was planning. The answer came to Peggy pretty quickly, well, she had been thinking of it ever since Jarvis had told her about the forged confession. Without consulting with Jarvis first, she went out of the conference room and told the Chief the truth: the confession was a phony and Stark wouldn’t be coming. Back in the conference room she told the rest of it.

Obviously, being fatheads they weren’t prepared to believe her. She especially didn’t appreciate that when the Chief said Fenhoff (who he knew as Dr. Ivchenko) was a good man and she had pointed out that he had only been there for forty eight hours and they didn’t know him, that Sousa had said that they knew her and implied that she was the one who wasn’t trustworthy. That particularly wounded her.

Sousa then asked why she didn’t come to them, why she had to go it alone with her investigation. She wished now that she _had_ at least tried, so that she could say she did, but that was something she’d regret if this went wrong. Instead, she said the other truth, that even if she did come to them, they only saw her as a secretary and would never have listened. None of the men in the room protested and the Chief even said something to let her know he didn’t care about how they saw her, he asked why they should believe her. So, she gave them the invention of Stark’s that they had been asking about since they took it from her bag. The Blitzkrieg Button, the contraption that Howard created, which was what was housing the last vial of Steve’s blood.

As Chief Dooley held the vial, Peggy told them why she couldn’t bring it to them. She thought of what really made her keep it, she had been worried for Steve’s legacy, worried for herself and their connection, worried for what the government would do with the serum and what kind of medical torture people might continue to be put in trying to replicate his success. She told the Chief that ultimately, her sweetheart’s instinct had kicked in and she wanted to protect him, so she didn’t tell anyone she had it, put a hole in Miriam Fry’s wall and hid him, wanting to keep him safe, _this_ time.

She also took note of another dig attempt by Sousa. She’d have to really have a talk with him soon. If this worked and she was freed.

The chief and the two agents went out of the conference room to consult on her trustworthiness.

*****

“I think we’re all here,” Miriam Fry said, as she looked around at the women she thought of as her charges.

Angie had been looking around since she came down to the lounge and asked if anyone had seen Dottie and it was obvious that she wasn’t there. No one had seen her since shortly after Peggy’s arrest. She was about to tell Ms. Fry this, but Carol spoke up instead.

“Ms. Fry, I don’t think Dottie’s down yet.”

“I’ll go get her,” Angie said, and was up the stairs before Miriam Fry had a chance to protest her going.

Angie knocked on Dottie’s door and decided to act as if she wasn’t suspicious of her.

“I don’t got all night, Iowa,” she said, and sighed. She tried the doorknob and surprisingly, it opened. 

As she walked around Dottie’s apartment, it was apparent that she had moved out. There was nothing in her drawers and closet. As Angie looked around, she noticed an object on the counter in the kitchenette, it looked like a key. Picking it up she narrowed her eyes and went straight to the door she had a feeling it would open. Peggy’s door.

When she entered Peggy’s apartment, her breath hitched in her throat, everything was gone, except the scent of Peggy’s perfume. She wanted to cry, but she knew that they were all waiting downstairs for her, so she quickly perused the room to see if anything had mistakenly been left behind, maybe something she could take as a keepsake while they were apart and that she could give back to Peggy when she saw her again.

As she bent down and looked under the bed, she noticed a picture that had been dropped out of its frame, she retrieved it and looked at the person in the photo. She thought she recognized him, but couldn’t quite place the face and then it hit her. This was the Steve Peggy had known before he was injected with the super soldier serum and became Captain America. She quickly put the picture under her shirt, trying as hard as she could to not bend or crease it and did another quick look around. Before leaving the room and going back down to join the others.

“She’s gone,” Angie said, as she pushed her hand against her stomach, keeping the picture from slipping out.

“Yes, well, we’ll get started,” Miriam looked curious to Angie when she said that, like she wasn’t surprised to hear that Dottie had moved out. “I suppose you all have heard by now, that Miss Carter was not who she portrayed herself to be? The telephone company worker, who had glowing letters of recommendations from a Senator and prior landladies that I am starting to think might have been forged.”

Angie narrowed her eyes at Miriam as she continued.

“I knew right away, that something was not exactly on the up and up with her. Her tales of galivanting around the West Village, ‘doing wash’ at odd hours, coming in after curfew and rudely demanding I keep my mouth shut, as she barreled her way up the stairs,” Miriam looked around and Angie had to wipe the smirk off her face. She was thinking of Peggy and her antics that night. She would have loved to see her tell off Miriam as she made her way up to Angie’s room.

Miriam continued as she looked right at Angie, “…and also demanded to room with trusted friend. A friend whom I had considered also to be trustworthy, which is why it pains me to say this…”

Angie’s brow knitted itself into a confused pattern and her stomach suddenly dropped.

“Miss Martinelli, the federal government might not be aware of your deceit, but not much gets passed Miriam Fisher Fry-” Ms. Fry was cut off by the chuckles that went around the room at the unfortunate combination of names she had. When it died down sufficiently, she continued, “…please, pack your things, I cannot brook deceit in my establishment, it’s like a virus, it is insidious and will infect us all. It most certainly will not be tolerated.”

Angie tried to speak up, but Miriam held up a hand to stop her, “No, I will not listen to any excuses, I think I’ve had enough of that from you and your _friend_ these past few weeks to last a lifetime, as a matter of fact.”

All eyes were on Angie as she balled her fist by her side, the women around her thought she might try to punch Ms. Fry and when Carol saw that she took the hand she had placed on Angie’s shoulder off of it, secretly hoping she’d take a shot at her.

Finally, Angie did speak, “I guess you’re not worried about housing a thief then, just liars, right, Miriam?”

Ms. Fry narrowed her eyes at Angie and then gave a questioning look.

“Here,” Angie said, and tossed the key she had in her hand that she was tightening her grip around. “I found that in Dottie’s room. She left it behind in the room she moved out of.”

“The key to her room, yes, I told her to do that.”

“No, it’s the key to Peggy’s room. How do you think it ended up there? And what of ours has she stolen in the weeks you ‘housed’ her here with us?”

There were hushed whispers as the women thought of things that they could no longer find and now thought Dottie must have taken them, even though some of them had been missing for longer than Dottie had been living there. Angie knew it was a lie when she said it, but she didn’t have enough evidence on Dottie to tell the real reason of why she didn’t trust her and it was true that she had stolen Peggy’s key.

“Be that as it may, Miss Martinelli, that evidence will not keep you in my good graces. I’m sorry that it has come to this, you were a model resident and I wish you well. I’m sure visiting hours in jail are over, but please give Miss Carter my regards, and tell her that the government confiscated her things, and since she ruined my wall, she’s not getting her deposit back.”

Carol had put her hand back on Angie’s shoulder in empathy.

Angie didn’t take the bait on any of what Miriam just said, “Since I returned her key to you, I’ll expect you to pay me back for it. You don’t have to come in contact with me, just give it to Lorraine and it’s settled,” she said, and then turned and watched as the girls around her parted the way for her to go up the stairs to her room. At first, she was thinking they would be disappointed in her, so she wanted to walk as quickly as possible so as not to see that disappointment etched on their faces, but as she walked, all of them touched her encouragingly on the back, arm or shoulder and gave her words of comfort, solace and courage.

Once she was up in her room, Vera, Carol, Lorraine and a couple of the other women including Sarah, piled in along with her.

“Don’t worry about it, Ange, you can find a better place…”

“Yeah, somewhere that doesn’t limit your love life…”

“Or tells you when you can do laundry…”

“Or doesn’t overcharge for food and then give you powdered eggs…”

Angie appreciated all of their kind words but right now she was trying to figure out what she was going to do with all her stuff. She hadn’t really seen this one coming and she felt a bit stupid for that. She surmised that before Dottie left, she gave some very informative news to Miriam, so that just in case Peggy had gotten out of the charges currently laid on her by the SSR, that she wouldn’t be able to go back to the Griffith, or possibly find Angie again. She also started to feel that maybe Dottie was a plant by the SSR to undermine Peggy’s efforts while she worked on a case that could blow the lid off of something big. Obviously, Angie was proud of her girlfriend and what she did for a living, so she thought of a million different reasons why she would be in the mess she was, and none were less than honorable. Even if she didn’t always tell her the truth about things. She’d really have to question Peggy about what Howard Stark was doing in her apartment that night that she said she was going to read the new Agatha Christie novel she had.

She snapped out of her thoughts when Vera asked her a question, “What are you going to do, go back to your parents?”

“Maybe you should lay low, for a while, if what Miriam says is true and the G-men realize you made a false statement to them, you’d be right in the pokey with Peggy,” Sarah said, then chuckled at how funny “in the pokey with Peggy” sounded. Especially, because of the sexual innuendo it also created.

Angie narrowed her eyes at her because she got the joke, but she had to admit that was a possibility. She didn’t want to implicate her parents in anything, but she didn’t want to end up in some fleabag motel over in Newark or Jersey City either, she wouldn’t have minded staying in those cities, but right now she didn’t really have the funds to stay in one of their nicer establishments.

That made her think of the book she had recently read, by Stephen Crane, _Maggie: A Girl on the Streets_ and didn’t want the same thing to have happen to her as happened to the protagonist. Even though her family wouldn’t force her into a life of poverty, over a relationship she had, which could spiral her into prostitution and an early death, she just didn’t want to venture to get used to a life on the lam.

She remembered one place she was always welcome and smiled as it dawned on her that they wouldn’t even have to be implicated in anything. Her Uncle Bobby and “Aunt” Freddy had a guest house on their property and if she were ever caught by the SSR, she could tell them that she had broken in and they knew nothing about her being there.

“I think I’ve got it covered,” she smiled at Vera. “Now, does anyone have any boxes I could borrow?”

Lorraine said, “I kept mine, I feel like I’m always the next to go,” she shrugged. “I mean, if poor Molly and now Angie could get eighty-sixed then what’s stopping me?”

“I should have been kicked out a year ago,” Sarah said, then looked at Angie, contrite. “But, someone was really a good friend and I didn’t realize how good until now…”

Angie looked at her and realized that it was as close to an apology that she would ever be getting from Sarah and she nodded her head in a thank you. Then she said to the group, “Don’t worry about me ladies, I’ll find a place soon, hopefully not too far away.”

“Then we can go to lunch or dinner on the weekends, when you’re not rehearsing,” Carol said, with a smile.

Angie appreciated her optimism but had to admit she’d been turned down for another part. “I don’t know when that would be, Carol, I might be free for a while, I just got rejected for my seventh audition.”

Vera said, “What do you think? You get the first role you go out for? My brother is a sax player in a nightclub, writes his own music and still gets rejected from gigs because he’s ‘too young’. You just keep trying, girl, you’ll hit it one of these days.”

“I think I should get that tattooed on my eyeballs so I can see that phrase every day and start to believe it,” Angie lamented.

Lorraine and Sarah came back in the room with the boxes they got from Lorraine’s room.

“Here you go, these two would be perfect for the towels and things. Did you need any help packing?” Lorraine said.

“If you wouldn’t mind…”

“Not at all, let’s go ladies!”

It felt weird to be gleefully packing when she just got kicked out of her apartment and didn’t have another place secured yet, Angie had forgotten that she still needed to call her Uncle to see if she could stay there, at least until she figured out what she was going to do.

“I’ll be right back, ladies. I have to go make a phone call. If you want, you can start on the dish towels and the other stuff in the cupboard. I’ll give you all the food I have in my icebox there. I’m not going to pack all that in these boxes.”

“Okay, hon, we’ll be here.”

Angie walked to the phone, sincerely grateful for the women that she’d been neighbors with for the better part of a year and truly sorry that she wouldn’t be living there anymore, but happy that she had a solid plan. When the phone picked up and she recognized her “Aunt” Freddy’s voice she smiled and greeted him warmly. The greeting she got back was just as warm and he was having her laughing in no time.

After the pleasantries, Angie got down to business, “I have a favor to ask of you, I uhhhh…”

“Girl, don’t tell me you’re pregnant and I have to sequester you away for nine months…”

“Jesus, no! What? What the heck, Aunt Freddy! What do you think I am?”

“I’m kidding you, cherub, don’t get your pantaloons in a bunch, what d’you need?”

“I need to store some of my stuff in your storage shed,” she said, leaving out the fact that she would also be included in that “stuff”.

“Oh sure, hon, we’ve got that new shed all put up, you can come over whenever, I’ll help you put it in there.”

Angie felt hesitant about asking for this much help, but she didn’t know who else she could call, without alerting her mother. “Would you mind coming out to pick it up at the Griffith?”

“When?”

“In about an hour?”

There was silence for a few moments and Angie closed her eyes as she waited for the eventual “no” she knew was coming that was currently being formulated in Freddy’s head.

“Let’s see…I was just reorganizing the sock drawer…and then I was going to number and catalogue the silver…then I was going to rethread the carpet…I’ll be there in an hour with the van!” Freddy was eager to get out and do anything but what he just described. “I haven’t seen the city in almost a month, I need to get out! Thank you, darling!”

Angie laughed and thanked him profusely, they said their goodbyes and then she went back to packing.

Her mind and heart feeling a bit lighter, she started to feel like things were already going better.

If only she knew what was really going on with Peggy at the moment, and if she was okay, then maybe she could get her stomach to unknot.

*****

As Dooley, Thompson and Sousa tried to decide whether or not she was being straight with them and her story now was actually the truth, Peggy and Jarvis contemplated what they would do if the group didn’t believe her. Could Peggy escape outside the building? There wasn’t really a ledge to speak of, and she might plunge to her death this high up, so that was a no go.

As she shut down another “get the drop on them” suggestion by Jarvis, the Chief came into the room and lured them to one of the smaller interrogation rooms, by making them think something had happened in the case and that the conference room was bugged. The truth was that after the Chief had sent Thompson and Sousa across the street to investigate the area of the building that Peggy had told them Fenhoff was signaling to with Morse Code, the Chief had managed to get under Fenhoff’s thrall by falling victim to his hypnosis techniques. They were very powerful and the Chief unfortunately was not impervious to them, especially because he had been having marital problems and Fenhoff said he could help him with them.

Ten minutes after Fenhoff started, the Chief suddenly needed to get Peggy and Jarvis locked into a room where they wouldn’t be able to stop him from carrying out his instructions to blow up the office and everything in it.

Including himself.

As Peggy and Jarvis were devising a way to get out of the room, they realized that even though they were able to smash the mirrored window leading into the observation room, they were still shackled to the table. When Thompson came into that room, they had to act fast to convince him that something was wrong with the Chief.

*****

“I’m so glad you called me to pick you up, Angie, I was going bananas out there all by myself.”

“I’m happy that I was able to spring you loose, although, I didn’t think setting up a new house would have been all that bad with the stir-crazy.”

“Oh, it’s not that, it’s just being out in practically the middle of nowhere. We don’t even have servants yet, so I’m talking to the dogs mainly. What’s really worrying me is lately they’ve been starting to answer back.”

Angie laughed at that. She remembered how her Uncles would make a funny voice for their pets that they would pretend, very convincingly was the actual pet speaking to you, and not themselves doing the voices.

“Well, I can see how that would get to a person.”

“So, what’s shaking chickie? Why the hush, hush on the phone, besides your mother thinking it’s possibly bugged.”

“What’s bugged?”

“Our phone out at the house, she said for us to go over tomorrow night and discuss something, well, she said she had something for your Uncle Bob and made it sound like something he had to try on, but I know your mother, something was up. And now that you call me and ask me to pick you up with all your stuff, now I know something is really up. Are you sure you’re not preggers, doll?”

“Very,” Angie said, quickly.

“Your uncle said he got to meet your new lady, he spoke very, very highly of her. I was thinking maybe she had some superpowers and you’re with miracle child,” he said, with a smirk on his face.

“You’ve got an overactive imagination, Aunt Freddy,” Angie said, shaking her head.

“Well, you just tell me all about her while we drive out to the house, I’m sure I’m going to love her.”

Angie spent the rest of the trip telling him about how she and Peggy met and what happened today.

“So, you’re like what, the one girl in Brooklyn that didn’t know Captain America dated Peggy Carter?” Her Uncle Freddy asked, as they pulled up to the guest house.

“Fred…”

“Ooh, it’s Fred now, is it, darling? I better watch myself.”

Angie sighed, “I don’t know why I didn’t think of it, I guess I really didn’t follow their story while it was unfolding. I mean, for sure, I had the comics and the picture with him and his autograph on the book I brought to Passaic that time you and Uncle Bobby took me…”

“I get it, Ange, I’m just kidding with you. If it wasn’t for your brother Pat knowing her, I wouldn’t have really known anything about it.”

Angie sat in stunned silence, as another piece of information she didn’t know about Peggy, but someone else did, penetrated her brain. Her uncle got out and went around to her side to open her door for her. She didn’t get out right away.

“Angie, you okay, dear?”

“What did you say about Peggy knowing Pat?”

He looked at her puzzled, “Your mother didn’t tell you?”

She turned and looked him squarely in the face, and he understood right away that he had stepped in something here.

“What didn’t she tell me?”

He shrugged, “I’m sorry, darling, I thought it was family lore, I didn’t know you didn’t know that she and Pat were friends in the war. He met her in New York shortly after she came over here for some secret mission that turned out to be the Captain America thing, then…” he stopped as she had gone back to staring straight out of the van’s windshield and narrowed her eyes. “Are you sure you want me to continue, hon?”

“Yes, please,” Angie said, through clenched teeth.

“I don’t know…”

“What don’t you know?” she snapped her head around to him and shot him a look.

“If I should…ya know…because of your face,” he said, his eyes widening as her jaw seemed to be working her teeth into nubs.

“Freddo…”

“Oh, it’s _Freddo_ now, wound me why don’t you? Go ahead, take the hot poker out of the fireplace in there and stab me-”

“Would you get on with it?!”

“Not until you stop acting like a spoiled child and get out of this van, and we’ll talk inside where it’s warm,” he said, shivering a little.

Angie got out and slammed the door. She went to the back of the van where he had opened the double doors and she retrieved her suitcase and duffel bag. She followed him into the house and stood there impressed.

“It’s furnished?”

“We had to stay here while they finished working on the house, it’s fully loaded, girly. And if you play your cards right, maybe you and your lady can stay with us this summer, and you can use this place. It’s got its own pool and jacuzzi,” he wiggled his eyes up and down.

Angie put her things down on the floor in the living room and sat on the couch in a dejected pile.

“I don’t know, Uncle Freddy, I mean maybe she and I won’t be a thing by then…”

“Woah, wait, hang on here. You get my heart all a twitter with your tales of lady love and now you’re telling me they might be dashed out there on those beautiful rocks?!”

Angie had to laugh at that, “Stop being dramatic, you’re not auditioning for a part for me.”

“You don’t even know how wrong that sentence is, but I’ll let it slide. Anyway, doll, nothing happened between her and Pat. They were always at odds.”

“They fought?”

“No, he told me they got on really well, in fact, but they just never were single at the same time.”

“But…”

He stood and looked at her for a while as she worked out a lot in her head.

“Ooh, sweetie, stop those thoughts right now. You’re not doing your sainted brother anything wrong by loving this woman. I don’t even know if she knows you and Pat are siblings. Have you thought of that?”

Angie brightened up a little.

“There’s that pretty smile I know you for,” he said, and smiled. “I’m going to go get the hand truck and get the rest of your boxes and put them in the shed. Why don’t you make us a couple of drinks? It’s stocked really well. Also, you’ll probably want to call your mother.”

Angie didn’t really want to call her mother, but she was curious about something. She didn’t want to blow her cover by potentially alerting the feds to where she was, but the question was eating at her.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Ma.”

“Angie! I didn’t think I’d hear from you again tonight. Incidentally, I’ve got no new information.”

“Neither do I, but I just wanted to ask you a question,” Angie said.

“Yeah, what?”

“Did you know Pat and Peggy knew each other?”

Mrs. Martinelli closed her eyes, Peggy hadn’t told her and now she was really going to yell at her. Peggy might want to hope they hold her in custody for a few weeks, in fact.

“You don’t have to answer, Ma. Your silence tells me what I wanted to know.”

“Now, hey, wait a minute, don’t you get mad at me, deary, I told Peggy to tell you…and in her defense, I think she was going to soon.”

“Don’t worry, Ma, I’m not mad.”

“Oh, good,” Mrs. Martinelli said, relieved.

“I’m disappointed.”

“Oh, not good,” she said, her shoulders slumping. For Angie to be disappointed in someone, that really meant they were in trouble. She gave of herself wholeheartedly when she trusted you, and if she felt you didn’t trust her enough to tell her something, then that was a fate worse than anger.

“I’ll talk to you later, Ma, I gotta go,” Angie said.

Mrs. Martinelli couldn’t think of anything to say so she decided to go with walking on eggshells and not upsetting Angie with any anger or ultimatums.

“Okay, sweetheart, I’m sorry, I should have told you, but I didn’t think it was really my place,” she said.

“I know, like I said, it’s not you, Ma. I just have to think about some things, ya know?”

“Don’t think about them rashly, Angie, you might regret it.”

Angie sighed sadly, “Isn’t that the story of my life? Regret?”

“Ange…”

“I love you, Ma, I’ll talk to you later. Don’t worry, really.”

“Okay, I believe you and I love you too.”

Angie hung up and felt like crying, so she allowed the tears to flow out of her eyes freely. It wasn’t an ugly cry, she was just feeling emotional, so she let it run its course.

She didn’t really know exactly what she was crying for, it was actually pretty interesting to know Peggy and Pat knew each other. But the fact that she now knew that Peggy knew who Pat was to her, and she didn’t talk to her about him, she wondered what else she could be hiding from her and why. Beside the Captain America thing, and the hiding Howard in her room thing.

The main problem right now though, was trust, she thought Peggy trusted her and now it seemed like that was all out the window. Everything was so mixed up right now, because she was also still scared of what was happening to Peggy and if she’d ever see her again, and not have bars between them. 

It was a very upsetting day, and she knew the night would be torture.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I played a little fast and loose with the timeline in this one in terms of canon, especially because I think (though it wasn’t really too clear in the show) that Peggy was interrogated over two days, after being captured by the SSR. But I’m hoping you suspended your disbelief, and all worked out. Besides, you don’t know how many times I had to cut/paste this after figuring that out and then putting it all back because it worked better this way. I hope it wasn't too confusing, and you're not too offended. *bites nails*


	12. I Know I Could Always Be Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peggy’s got a lot of explaining to do, but no time to do it. Angie has a lot of martinis to get through and all the time in the world, unfortunately for her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all the mothers out there. Happy Mother’s Day!

Peggy was relieved that it didn’t take much to convince Thompson that there was something wrong with the Chief. When he spotted him in his office, face down on his desk, asleep and appearing to be wearing something that looked like it should be a part of a heating unit and not a jacket, he frantically banged at the door for him to wake up.

One of the agents unlocked Jarvis and Peggy from the table they were handcuffed to and she ran to just behind Thompson, shouting the Chief’s name, while he continued to pound on the door. The Chief finally woke up and walked, zombie-like, to the door and opened it. As soon as Jarvis saw what Chief Dooley was wearing, he implored Peggy to move out of the way, and suggested everyone else do the same.

It was one of Howard’s most genius, yet equally flawed inventions to date. As Jarvis described what it was and why it was so flawed, Peggy called for the scientists, there had to be a way to get him out of this thing, before it exploded and took the whole office and perhaps half of the building with it. Every idea she had was countered by Jarvis as being something that would inevitably speed the eventual outcome, which was not good for anyone.

Least of all Chief Dooley.

As the Chief looked into Peggy’s eyes and asked her to promise him that she would catch who ever had done this to him, she finally felt she had been accepted as one of them, but at such a terrible cost she would have never agreed to the price. He gave her an “Atta Girl” and he was off and running to his eventual death from the explosion of the heat vest. Had he not shot out the window and then jumped through it, the blast would have killed them all.

It was a hero’s death, one that the Chief wouldn’t have traded with any of his men, or women, and one that his children could grow up to be proud of, if not broken by; yet, it still made Peggy feel like she and she alone was responsible and somehow cursed.

Jarvis wouldn’t hear of it and bitterly blamed Stark for again inventing something that could get them all killed. Peggy realized that Leviathan must have been after something particular and panicked as she thought they had stolen Steve’s blood. When they found it still in its protective casing, another mystery presented itself, until they got a call to investigate a gruesome and puzzling happening at a movie theater not far from the office. It seemed the patrons had fought each other, to their deaths.

The Battle of Finow in miniature.

*****

“Angie, dear, there is seltzer in the cabinet, you didn’t have to make your own water,” Freddy said, when he came back into the guest house and saw Angie crying silently. “Oh dear, here,” he said, as he sat next to her, gathering her in his arms gently and offering up his shoulder to cry on. Angie gratefully wet the cotton of his shirt for a few more minutes, while she tried, in vain, to stop herself.

When she finally was done, she pulled back and he offered her a handkerchief to dry her eyes with.

“Thank you,” she said, quietly and dried her eyes, then blew her nose with it.

“I was going to say that you were the quietest girl crier I had ever seen, but after what you just honked into my handkerchief, I’m going to take that back,” he held up a hand to her when she offered the handkerchief back. “No, darling, you keep it. As a momento…”

She laughed at his face because he knew that wasn’t the right thing to say in this situation, but he was at a loss for words. For once.

“Thank you, Aunt Freddy,” Angie said, sincerely, then stared at him curiously, as if she had a question.

“What? Do I have something on my face? Oh lovely, and you have my only clean hankie,” he tutted.

“How did the ‘Aunt Freddy’ thing start?” Angie couldn’t remember when she didn’t know him by that name.

“Your brother, Pat,” Freddy said, as he smiled sadly and shrugged. “He came downstairs at one of our soirees that your parents would bring the kids to so they could stay over and didn’t have to drive, inebriated, back to Brooklyn. He snuck out of his bed and came down to see what was happening,” he put his hand to his chest dramatically and smiled, remembering the party. “Well, I tell you, it was a regular old drag happening, sweetheart and I had my best sequined, Norman Norell, cocktail dress on. He marched right up to me and said, ‘Aunt Freddy, I’m hungry!’.” Angie laughed and Freddy said, “Out of the mouths of babes, right?”

“What did you do?”

“What could I do? I took him into the kitchen, sat him on the stool and made him a ham and chicken sandwich with a glass of milk on the side. As soon as he was done, he kissed me on the cheek and asked me to take him back to his bed,” Freddy’s voice broke as he thought of that memory, and a tear slipped from his eye. He smiled and wiped at it with his hand saying, “Look at me, old queen without a hankie getting all choked up.”

Angie gave him a sad smile through the tears that had started to form as she thought of her brother as a sweet young boy and then leaned over to kiss Freddy’s cheek.

Freddy hugged her from the side, patted her lap and continued, “Ever since then, you Martinelli kids have been calling me Aunt Freddy.”

She smiled wider and hugged him again.

“I really didn’t realize how wonderful my parents were, you know? I mean, here they were going to parties with you and Uncle Bobby. Ma told me that you went to a place in Park Slope…”

“Oh, yeah, that we were arrested at…”

“I can’t believe you were arrested, Uncle Bobby mentioned that the other night, and I didn’t want to bring it back up to Ma because she shot daggers at him.”

“I know, it was pretty horrid. We managed to get your parents out the back door of the club and the cops arrested us. Then as they were taking us out of the front of the place your mother was yelling obseneties at them, they hauled her in, too.” He chuckled. “Some of the bourgeoisie didn’t appreciate a queer club in their neighborhood I guess,” he shrugged. “Just remember, you can’t please _all_ of the rabble, darling.”

Angie smiled at him sympathetically and he squeezed her knee.

His face brightened suddenly and he asked, “Now, what say I make us those drinks? It looks like you could use one, no? Or twelve?”

Angie laughed and then let out a big sigh.

“Oh, Freddy, I don’t want to be so maudlin or dramatic…”

“But…” he said, as he got the glasses and shaker out of their cabinet.

“But look what you and Uncle Bobby went through, look at how you struggled with society…”

“And?”

“What could I hope to achieve, it’d be harder for two women to make it successfully going through all these barriers to-”

“Hang on a second, dearie. Are you trying to tell me you’re going to give it all up? Let your lady friend go because society can’t handle your relationship?”

She looked at him for a while, the thoughts warring in her brain, and finally she shrugged.

He chuckled as he put the ice cubes in the shaker and poured the right amounts of gin and vermouth into it. As he heard Angie sigh deeply for the third time, he doubled the recipe. Once the drink was done, he added two olives and brought it over to her.

“Just what a struggling relationship needs, darling. Alcohol in large quantities.”

Angie laughed and accepted the glass from him, she did feel like she needed a drink, but she promised herself she wouldn’t get drunk. She just wanted to ease her mind a little because of the turmoil that it was currently in.

She took a long sip and then sighed again, “How do you get that to taste so good?”

“You have to get a good vermouth,” he said and watched her take another long sip. His head tipped up watching as her glass went higher and higher, draining it, at the last and letting the olives fall into her mouth, then chewed them thoughtfully. “Cheers, honey,” he said, and drank his in one go.

Angie set her glass down on the table and he immediately sprang up and went to refill both, watching as she put her hands in her eyes and rubbed them. Her body pitched forward and he thought she might be sick, but then she immediately snapped her head back up and pushed her hair back over her head, she was warring with herself, he could tell.

“Why is this so hard, Aunt Freddy?” she asked, groaning.

“What, honey?” He said, as he brought her another martini.

“I don’t know,” she said, accepting the glass from him and resting it on her thigh as she thought.

“Well, as long as you’re sure…” he said, as he took a nice slow sip of his favorite drink.

She chuckled and looked at him, narrowing her eyes.

“If you could drink that entire glass and when you were done, you’d be ‘normal’, you know, not… _queer_ , would you do it?”

He had been in mid-sip, suddenly stopped and pretended to spit it all back into the glass, laughing as he thought of how that looked. He stopped when he realized she wasn’t laughing at his pantomimed joke.

For a few moments, he sat and regarded her seriously, his first instinct was to make another joke, but he could see she was really conflicted with herself right now, and he needed to be a trusted confidant and counsel to her. He could guess that she didn’t have many people to go to about this, even though her family was supportive and accepting of who she was, you sometimes needed a person outside of your nuclear family to run relationship details and issues by. 

“Where is this coming from?” he asked, as he put his glass down on the cocktail table and turned to look more fully at her.

He could see a million and two thoughts going through her head and he put a calming hand on her knee.

Finally, after a couple of moments more she said, “I just…I know there are so many things that we’re going to have to go through as a couple. Today really highlighted that for me because of her job. Maybe I’ve been too…I don’t know…” she stopped and looked at her hands in her lap.

“I know what you’re thinking and I want you to try to stop going down that road.”

“What road?”

“The ‘If-I-let-her-go-now-it’ll-be-better-for-her-because-maybe-I’m-just-being-selfish-by-wanting-her-to-love-me-besides-she’s-probably-not-even-queer-she’s-probably-just-experimenting’ road.”

“I uh…” He had hit the mark with striking precision.

“Honey, if I had a nickel for every time I thought that in my early days, my bank account would be bigger than Rockefeller, JP Morgan and Vanderbilt combined!”

“Well, maybe I’m being too…I…” she sighed again and hung her head.

Freddy picked up her glass and put it in front of her, “Here, drink this, it’ll help.”

“I don’t want to get too plastered, Aunt Freddy.”

“Listen, girl, there’s no horsehair in these beauties, just good old-fashioned alcohol. It loosens lips, but doesn’t sink ships, especially of the relation kind, unless you want it to,” he winked at her. “Now do as your Auntie says and drink, just a little.”

Angie took another long sip and was surprised at how good it tasted to her. She never felt like much of a martini drinker, but this was hitting all the right spots.

He took the drink back from her as she was just about to take another long sip.

“Now, you said, you don’t want to get good and soused, so I’m going to hold that right here for safe keeping,” he said, as he put it near him on the cocktail table. “Spill, but not literally. And remember,” he pointed and looked at her seriously. “I’m not going to judge you; I just want to hear what you’re thinking in that beautiful head of yours.”

“I appreciate that, Aunt Freddy,” she said, sincerely.

“So, get with the flapping of the gums, sister,” he poked her shoulder and smiled.

Angie laughed and then took another deep breath, letting it out slowly and repeating it a couple of times.

“Nice breathing technique,” he said, impressed.

“Peggy taught me,” Angie said, and smiled, blushing from the thought of Peggy.

“Look at that smile and blush, I can tell, she’s something special.”

Angie’s smile deepened as she thought of all the special things about her, “She is… _very_ special.”

“Then what’s the problem, sweetheart?”

“I think she might be _too_ special…” her brow furrowed.

Freddy put his hand on his chest and gasped.

“Here me out, Theda Bara,” she said and smirked. “I just mean that she’s not just a telephone company worker. I realize now that she’s a really important person with a very important and demanding job. She’s a woman who’s broken into a male dominated world and she’s going to need someone who can help her navigate through that, ya know? She’s going to be a leader some day and she’ll be-”

“Navigating it with you,” Freddy finished her sentence for her. “Unless you don’t want to?”

Angie looked back at him, wounded.

“‘Don’t want to’? I want nothing _more_ than to be there for her, _with_ her. Of course, the trust issue is gonna to need to be worked out because I won’t be some doormat to pick up her laundry and do the cooking and cleaning, and be in the dark like some-”

“Betty Carver?”

“Exactly,” Angie said, pointing to him and then her face turned pained. “Oh, Gesu…I did my Betty Carver audition for her, Aunt Freddy. I didn’t know and I did it right in front of her,” she put her head in her hands and let the embarrassment flood over her in waves.

He put his hand on her back as she leaned forward more.

“Don’t even think about it, sweetie, you’ll just keep kicking yourself over and over and that’s no good. It sounds to me like you’ll be a wonderful companion, counselor, and lover for her to grow old with.”

“But…”

“What’s with all the ‘buts’, darling? You think you’re just some schlep off the street that can’t handle being with the big brass of her job?”

“But they’re conservative people, Aunt Fred, like Hoover, what if there’s some kinda, I don’t know, Christmas party and he’s there? I’d have to have her go with some guy.”

“Why?”

“Whatta ya mean ‘why’? Let’s not pretend that I can be part of that with her.”

“You know how many such people go to openings to the opera or show premieres with their same sexed partners? We’re talking _very_ important people, learned men and women, statesmen and women, doctors, judges, and yes, law enforcement agents.”

“Yeah, but they’re going to the opera or a play or something that you could get away with bringing a ‘friend’, but what about if she gets a service award, or commendation? Or her office is looking to get more funding from the government and she has to invite people over to schmooze…”

“You think they wouldn’t love to have Angela Martinelli, the famous actress, to help them be ‘schmoozed’?”

Angie laughed, “Nice touch there, Aunt Freddy.” She sighed, still conflicted. “You make it all sound so simple; I just know it’s not going to be. I mean, I know, not every relationship is going to be all hearts and flowers.”

“You’re right, they’re not, but that’s what makes it this thing I like to call, ‘life’. It doesn’t go smoothly all the time; you have to work at it. You think your Uncle and I got to be where we are on day one? Noooo, honey,” he shook his head. “I had to drag him kicking and screaming with me almost every step of the way. You Martinelli’s are testa dura,” he said, and pointed to his head. “They’re made like granite sometimes. No offense.”

Angie thought of her grandmother and said, “None taken, I know what you mean.”

“Your mother and father, God bless them, they had it rough too.”

“They did?”

“Oh, Madonna Mio! You don’t even want to know the amount of times your Uncle Bobby had to leave in the middle of one of his singing waiter gigs to go and stop Lucy from killing Angelo.”

“Really? I mean I know they sometimes fight, but I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“Oh, it was bad. I mean, I know I shouldn’t be telling all their business, but…”

Angie asked worriedly, “Did Pop have a little bit on the side?”

“What?! No, nothing like that,” he stopped and thought, then his face went sad and he thought a moment more, like he was deciding something, he started his explanation, speaking softly, “It was after your brother Piero died, your mother…let’s just say she wasn’t right for a while,” he looked at her and put his hand on her shoulder. “Your father had to take care of a three-year-old and a newborn…” he trailed off as he looked out the window, out into the blackness of the night. “And a wife…who wanted to die herself.”

Angie instantly felt bad and said quietly, “I never knew it was like that…”

“No one knew at first, except your Uncle and me…your grandmother didn’t lift a finger that mala femmina, faccia brutta, disgrazia-” he put his knuckle in his mouth from saying anything more. “Excuse me, I shouldn’t talk about her like that, but…I’ll never, _ever_ forgive her for that.”

“Why wouldn’t she help them?”

He shrugged, “I guess she was hoping they’d split up, or worse, that your mother _would_ die and then she’d be able to play matchmaker for your father again.”

Angie’s jaw dropped and her eyes narrowed.

Freddy continued, “You don’t know the half of it, and I’m not going to say anymore about that because it makes me want to go wherever she is and hobble that woman,” he put his hand on his chest, “and you know me, sweetheart, I don’t believe a man should _ever_ lift his hand in anger to a woman, but Angie…”

“Where was my other grandmother?”

“Your mother refused to let anyone come and help, she didn’t want her to see her like that, but I went and told her what was going on and she practically moved into that room with her. She was a saint, I tell you, she saved their marriage by saving your mother’s life.”

Angie felt an outpouring of love and affection for her mother, father, and uncles who helped save her parents and their marriage. And especially towards her mother’s mother, who she loved but seldom saw lately. As for her father’s mother, she didn’t know what she’d do the next time she saw her.

“I just can’t believe they let that woman into their house, when she’s been so horrible to them for their entire marriage.”

“I think they do it to get back at her,” he said, with an ironic chuckle.

“How does that make sense?” Angie asked, skeptical about the logic of that.

“Because she sees that she didn’t succeed in breaking them apart, in fact, they’ve been stronger than ever. And that galls her more than you’ll ever know.”

Angie understood, and she sat there wondering what she’d say to her father’s mother if she ever dared to see her again.

“Can I have my drink back now?” She asked.

“In a minute, I still need to know what your plans are for your relationship.”

“Well, I _still_ need to think long and hard about it, Aunt Fred, I mean, I know I want to be there for her, I do, desperately. I’m not afraid of anything usually, for instance, her job. I know it’s dangerous, and I can accept that, but I do have to think about her future.”

“Her future? Not your future too? And have you thought about asking _her_ what she thinks about all of this. I mean about how _she_ feels that you’re deciding her future for her?”

Angie went quiet for a few moments, then said, “No…”

“No, you haven’t. Are you going to give her a chance to present her case, judge, or are you just going to rule that for both of you indiscriminately?”

Angie sighed, she was getting frustrated, “She didn’t let me into that part of her life, I don’t think she trusts me, I’m not saying we’re over right this minute, but I can’t be in a relationship with someone that doesn’t trust me to be able to deal with the truth.”

“And you shouldn’t, but I caution you to let her tell you her side of the story before you go throwing down ultimatums, sweetie. You may understand why she didn’t come clean and you’d regret if you said something that made you have to apologize for.”

Angie was about to get mad and ask, ‘Why would _I_ have to apologize?!’ but her grandma Martinelli’s face popped into her head and she stopped herself. Her uncle was right, she should let Peggy tell her side of the story and then they should decide their future together.

“You’re right,” she said, finally and sighed. “I’ll let her tell her story first. If I don’t like it, we’ll see, but I’m telling you this, my time of being lied to is over, I don’t care who it is.”

“What about your mother? Did you call her?”

“Yeah, and she said that she knew that Peggy and Pat knew each other. I’m going to have to think about that some more, too,” she leaned over to get her drink and he blocked her.

“What is that supposed to mean?” He asked, looking at her with a deadly serious face.

“I don’t know yet, I’m kinda thinking about not talking to her for a while, I mean-”

“Wait,” he put up his hand to her. “No, no, you stop that right now, young lady. I will not have any sort of bad feelings for your mother, or you can walk out of that door and say goodbye to your Aunt Freddy.”

“But-”

“I won’t hear it, I know you think she did you wrong and that may just as well be, darling. But that woman does not deserve to lose another child, not even for a week and I’ll be damned if I sit back and watch one of you do that to her,” he was stern but measured and calm.

Angie sat there blank faced and then smirked at him. “You love her, don’t you?”

“Of course, she’s my sister-in-law,” he said.

“No, I mean you like, _love_ her love her…”

It was his turn to blush.

“Get out of here, you stinker,” he said, still turning a light shade of pink.

“Does Uncle Bob know?”

“Of course, I have always told him, your mother and your father, if Bob ever pulls a fast one and leaves me, and Angelo leaves your mother, I’m snatching her up.”

Angie laughed and shook her head.

“Really?”

“Why not really?”

“I mean, you wear dresses and stuff, I didn’t think-”

“Girlie, there’s a lot you need to learn about being queer and sexual love…wait a second, who are you to talk? Weren’t you the one who went with Jack?”

Angie became quiet.

He continued, “I don’t bring that up to hurt you, sweetheart, I just thought you of all people might understand how I felt.”

“I don’t know, I just thought maybe you were solid in your…you know and I just never thought that you liked women that way.”

“Oh, wait, no, not all women, just your mother,” he winked. “But, it’s true, I’ve had my share of the ladies. I just met the right guy and we built a life together. I’ve been dressing in drag since my mother left her hoopskirt in my closet because she didn’t have room in hers when I was five,” he shrugged.

“A hoopskirt?!”

He nodded, “She had one when they were all the rage. She hung on to it, I guess wanting to keep a part of her youth.”

“I bet she loved seeing you in that.”

“She never caught me. Which is just as well, because she would have filleted me alive.”

Angie put her hand on his arm in solidarity and said, “It’s tough being this way…”

“It is, but are you telling me you’d rather be someone you’re not?”

“No. I’d just rather be able to shout my love for Peggy from the rooftops, but I know that’s not possible.”

“You can get up on this rooftop and scream your head off about her, no one’s gonna hear, baby.”

“Yeah, and that’s not what I want. Ya know?”

“I know, but why does that have to be a problem in your relationship? The important people will know.”

Angie thought about that for a good while and said, “You’re right.”

“I know,” Freddy said with a smirk. “I’m always right.”

“Can I have my drink now?”

“Promise me you’re not going to do anything rash and you’ll talk to Peggy like an adult, and you’ll talk to your mother like the good daughter you are.”

Angie nodded sincerely, “I promise.”

He slid the drink back in front of her on the table and she picked it up, they toasted each other and clinked glasses.

“Cheers,” Angie said.

“Salut,” Freddy replied.

Angie suddenly felt a thousand times lighter, her mind more at ease than it had been before this all started with Peggy’s arrest. She hadn’t realized their relationship was starting to worry her as it became more and more serious. Undetectable panic had started to creep in, that while it was going gangbusters, the other shoe was about to drop and Peggy would decide she didn’t want to be in a relationship with a woman anymore. It’s not like it hadn’t happened to her before. Several times, in fact.

The rest of the night they listened to music, danced, laughed and had a really good time. They listened to mainly a lot of the new jazz Angie liked, that Freddy had mostly heard in Harlem clubs. The drinks flowed freely and Angie felt as carefree as she had in what seemed like a very long time.

*****

Peggy had a few minutes to herself before she had to go and check out this case down at the movie theater and she picked up her desk phone.

She dialed and waited, looking at her watch before someone finally picked up, “Lorraine, I’m glad someone is up this late…yes, it’s Peggy, no, no, everything is fine, it was all just a misunderstanding. Thank you, I’m fine. No, I assure you, no one has me tied to a chair and is making me say this…Lorraine, I wonder if you could see if Angie is still up?” Peggy’s brow furrowed deeply when she heard what Lorraine had to say. “What?! Made to leave? Why?!” She closed her eyes briefly as Lorraine told her what happened. “Oh, for flip’s…do you know where she went? Yes, you’re right, her parents most likely. Okay, cheers, I appreciate the information. Yes, I’m glad I’m not a traitor, too. Oh, Lorraine, I owe you ten dollars, I’ll-she did? She said what to Miriam?” Peggy’s mouth opened slightly and a smile was evident on her face. “She didn’t...Oh, Angie! I know…I can’t wait…okay, I’ll call her at her parents…thanks again, Lorraine…I’ll miss you too…yes, you as well,” Peggy checked her watch again. “H-howard? Yes, well…I’ll tell him Lorraine, have a wonderful night…yes, cheers, bye.”

Peggy hung up the phone before Lorraine had a chance to say anything else. She didn’t want to be rude, but it was rather late, and she was dying to talk to Angie, who would probably still be frantic with worry and she wanted to make sure she was able to talk to her as soon as humanly possible. She knew she would have a horrible night’s sleep if she went to bed without hearing from Peggy.

“Rose, you’re still here? Thanks, I’m quite pleased to be released from custody, too. Yes, thank you. Say, Rose? I’ve misplaced a number; I wonder if you could look it up for me. Yes, for an ANG Martinelli in Queens. Yes, ready. BAyside7-2438, cheers, Rose. Have a great night.” Peggy’s fingers flew, as much as they could, over the rotary dial; her heart beat hard as she listened to the ringing. “Mrs. Martinelli!” She said, overly cheery, she was really happy to be hearing her voice, and thankful that it didn’t seem like she had woken her up.

“Peggy! My God, is it really you?!” Mrs. Martinelli exclaimed. “How are you?!” her face turned really serious and she asked, “They get tough with you, did they? I told Angie if they so much as hurt one hair on your head-”

Peggy interjected with a laugh, “Oh, no, no harming of any hairs on my head, no, it was all just one big misunderstanding.”

“Oh good,” Mrs. Martinelli, sighed relieved. “Hey! Ange!”

Peggy’s heart beat harder as Mrs. Martinelli called Angie to the phone, she also had to hold the receiver out from her a little because of the voice volume at which she used to call her daughter. Thompson gave her a look when he heard the woman yelling through the phone and Peggy shrugged at him.

“Ange! Pick up the extension, Peggy’s on the phone! Yeah, she got out, all a misunderstanding!”

She smiled and put the phone back to her ear, waiting for Angie to pick up.

“Heya, Peggy!” Mr. Martinelli, said into the phone. “I knew you wasn’t no traitor, I’m so glad you’re out, darling. This mean you’ll be able to come to Sunday dinner? No Grandma Martinelli this time, don’t you and Angie worry about that.”

“Oh, yeah, no, don’t you worry about that one. She’s down in Florida, thank God. Angie’s Uncle Bobby sent her train fare and is putting her up in a hotel down there. She don’t want to set foot in his home, but she’ll take vacation money from him. I hope it’s as hot as the sun down there…”

“Lucy, don’t say that,” Mr. Martinelli warned.

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“Your soul…”

“My soul will be just fine, I’m doing the Lord’s work,” she said, non-plussed.

Peggy smiled, she really loved to hear their banter, but she was very anxious to talk to Angie, so she interjected.

“It’s so wonderful to hear both of you like this, I’m really happy to be free, but I’ve got a case to get back to...”

“Oh, yeah, sure, doll,” Mr. Martinelli, said.

“Yeah, you go do what you need to, thanks for calling, darling-”

“W-well, I was wondering if I could speak to Angie before I have to go?”

The Martinelli’s were puzzled.

“You didn’t get her at the Griffith?”

“N-no,” Peggy was thoroughly confused now. “They said-”

“Oh, maybe she went out to dinner-”

“No, Lu, it’s after curfew,” Mr. Martinelli said.

“Oh,” Mrs. Martinelli said a little worriedly.

Peggy didn’t want to alarm them because she thought surely they would have been the first place Angie would have called after Miriam evicted her from the Griffith. But now she was worried. Although, she quickly realized Angie wouldn’t have wanted them to worry about her, so she probably went to room with Carla for the night, until she could break the news to her parents.

“I’m sure she’s just downstairs in the lounge talking with some of the girls, I should have thought of that earlier. I’ll just call back over there and ask for her. I’m _so_ glad I was able to talk to you to let you know I was alright.”

“We are too, dear,” Mrs. Martinelli said, brightly, but still a little worried.

“Thanks a million for letting us know, Peggy, we were worried sick.”

“Well, I’m sorry for worrying you, and I’m really excited to come to dinner this Sunday. I’ll call Angie now and make sure she knows, too.”

“Okay, you do that, give her our love.”

“I will, and you do the same for me with Vinny,” Peggy said, smiling.

“We will, take care,” Mrs. Martinelli said.

“You too,” Peggy said and then hung up the phone.

Sousa came over to her, “You all set, Carter?”

She was deep in thought and she finally snapped out of it. “Hmm?”

“The call, we have to go down there…”

“Oh, yes, ready,” she said, as she took her stuff from her box and Sousa gave her back her gun. “Thanks,” she smiled at him.

They followed Thompson out of the building and into his car.

*****

It wasn’t until the wee small hours that Angie was put into bed by her Uncle Bobby who carried her like she was porcelain.

“Her parents don’t know she’s here, do they? I stopped by there earlier because Lucy had realized she could get in touch with me at the opera house and she had something important to tell me, they didn’t mention Angie came here.”

Freddy answered him back, tired and drunk, “No, they don’t, but that’s beside the point. That bitch Hoover is tapping our phones again isn’t he?”

“Yes, he is, but just the main house, this one is still bug free.”

“Good,” Freddy said, as they made their way out of the guest house.

“Why’d you let my sweet, innocent niece get that drunk? Oh Madonna, she didn’t break up with Peggy, did she?”

“Not yet, she was thinking of it though, Bob. She’s teetering on the edge, though I think I got her to the side of not. She had to blow off some steam, that one’s been through the ringer. That bitch of a landlady kicked her out tonight.”

“What, why?!”

“I think it had to do with Peggy getting nabbed by the feds.”

“What, why?!”

“That disgraziado Howard Stark has her mixed up in something.”

“Wh-”

“Say, ‘What, why?!’ one more time…”

Bobby smiled widely.

“But really, what the hell is going on?”

“I don’t know all the details. Yet.”

“But Freddy, she was _so_ polluted, she’s gonna have a head on her tomorrow like…like a hot air balloon. And we just got the carpets in here cleaned…”

“I know, I know. It was tough to say no to her when we were making the drinks. Besides, the jazz was so hot and the company so fun that I lost track of what we were drinking and how much,” he became a little uneasy on his feet as they were walking back to the main house and Bobby steadied him. “Ooh, I shouldn’t have chased the martinis with all those sweet cocktails.”

In a flash, Bobby scooped him up into his arms and carried him into the house.

“My sister-in-law isn’t the only one that’s got you wrapped around her finger, I see.”

“Those Martinelli girls are something, ain’t they?”

“Yes, especially my mother.”

“Oh, I might have told Angie about…when Lucy wasn’t all there.”

“Freddy! No wonder why she drank so much…”

“She might not talk to your mother ever again either.”

“Well, that might be for the best. Especially if she and Peggy keep on being a thing.”

Bobby put Freddy into the bed and started to take his clothes off for him.

“I’m all yours, Lone Ranger.”

Bobby laughed, “You know I don’t take advantage of degenerate drunks, it’s something my father instilled in us all, so all I’m doing is making you comfortable and then I’m going to take a soak in the tub.”

Freddy pouted at him as he finished taking off his clothes and shoes and placing them neatly in a pile on the clothes horse at the end of the bed.

“Good night, Tonto,” Bobby saluted him and was out of the room in a flash.

“Bitch,” Freddy mumbled and passed quickly into a dreamless, drunken sleep.

*****

Back at the SSR after they had investigated the incident at the movie theater, Peggy put the finishing touches on her report and filed it, she picked up her jacket from the back of her chair and put it on. Thompson came out of the Chief’s office and shut off his light.

“Carter, you heading out for the night?”

“Soon, just have to make a phone call.” She had told Jarvis earlier that she’d call when she was done to have him pick her up. She’d need to stay at Howard’s apartment uptown again.

“I’ll be out in the hall, walk you out…”

She nodded at him as she put the phone to her ear.

“Mr. Jarvis, Peggy Carter…did you fall asleep?”

“N-no, no, absolutely not, I’m up and at the ready to collect you,” he said, as he rubbed at his sleep-filled eyes.

“Are you sure? I mean, I can probably get-”

“No! I will come straight away, in fact, I’m leaving now! Goodbye,” Jarvis said, and set the handset back on its cradle.

Peggy picked up her suitcase, said goodbye to the men that were still there working to replace the windows blown out by the Chief’s unfortunate explosion and then joined Thompson in the hall.

“Here, let me carry-” he offered.

“No, thank you, I’ve got it well in hand,” Peggy said, moving the suitcase to her other hand, the one that wasn’t right next to him.

“Look, Carter…no hard feelings alright? I mean, it was all Sousa’s shoddy investigative work…”

“I think he did a pretty bang up job, as a matter of fact,” Peggy said, with a smirk. “He was the only one who figured out what I was doing, even if he did manage to get the motive wrong.”

“If he’s such a good investigator, why is he laying in New York Presbyterian passed out cold from gassing himself?”

“Could have happened to any one of us,” Peggy said.

“You sweet on him?” Thompson asked, as he quirked an eyebrow at her.

“He’s a nice enough chap, there’s no reason I wouldn’t be if…”

“Oh, you got a guy, huh?”

“Well…”

“That’s okay, you don’t have to spill, probably pretty tough trying to get a man when your last one was Captain America, huh?”

“You’d think that, but you’d be wrong, in fact, I’ve had three more offers just this week alone.”

“Not bad…me,” he pointed assuredly at himself. “I like to be untethered, ya know…try to keep my options open.”

“In this line of business that might be beneficial…” Peggy was trying not to eyeroll as she knew what was coming finally came.

“So…you got a place to stay?” He asked, trying to be suave, but failing.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I’ve secured a place, I might have to look for more permanent lodgings soon, but I _do_ have somewhere to stay for as long as I need it,” she said, somewhat in a rush because she wanted to relay the fact that she had a place.

“Well, if you change your mind…”

‘Not in this lifetime,’ she thought. “I know where you work, thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”

He smiled at her, “No problem, gotta look out for my agents,” he said.

This time she couldn’t help it and turned her head away to eyeroll. She stopped near Rose’s station and bade him goodnight.

“See you tomorrow, I might be late, I should go pay a call on Agent Sousa,” she said. “Make sure he’s alright. Bring him back to the office, if he’s ready to be discharged.”

“Very good, then sounds like a solid plan. Good thinking, Carter.”

Peggy nodded her head and watched him leave. She rolled her eyes again and Rose laughed.

“He make a pass at you?”

“He tried…I think…he might have just been genuinely concerned with my well being and making sure I had a place to stay tonight.”

“And I’m Betty Grable,” she pointed to her co-worker, Naomi, next to her. “This here’s my husband, Harry James, when we’re done being operators, we go home and make lovely music together.”

Both Peggy and Naomi laughed.

“Well, I try to think the best of people…”

“You keep doing that, honey, I’ll steer you back in the right direction.”

“Thanks, Rose.”

“Do you really have a place to stay?” Rose asked.

“Yes, I have a ride coming to take me there now.”

“Okay, good. Chin up,” Rose said, when she saw Peggy looking a little down. “It’s not every day you beat a treason wrap.”

“No, it’s not, you’re right,” Peggy said and smiled. “Goodnight, ladies, my ride is probably near, I should go wait in the lobby.”

“Have a good night,” Rose said.

“I’ll certainly try,” Peggy said, not trying too look to sadly. However, she knew that without knowing where Angie was, or being able to talk to her to tell her the news that she was out, that to get to sleep, she was going to perhaps have a very bourbon filled night.

“Bye, Peg,” Naomi said with a wave.

“Bye ladies,” Peggy said and made her way out to the front, to wait by the door.

Peggy _tried_ not to be worried about where Angie was, and what she was thinking, but as it was night time and it was a bit late, her mind started to work against her, as was per usual.

Could Angie be mad, or worse, indifferent and weighing whether or not Peggy was worth the trouble?

Just then, mercifully, Jarvis’ car pulled up in the front of the building, stopping her overactive mind for at least a while.

He got out of the car, took her case and put it in the trunk.

“I’m very pleased to see you, Miss Carter. I heard about the incident at the movie theatre and one of my contacts told me the SSR was investigating and that one of the agents was incapacitated by some sort of gas at the scene.”

“Agent Sousa breathed in a little of it when he found the canister.”

“Oh, dear,” Jarvis said.

“He tried to bite Agent Thompson’s face off.”

“How horrid,” he said, sincerely and looked at her, he was about to ask, ‘Are you alright?’ and noticed a slight bruising on her forehead. He remembered Angie’s words to him about what she’d do if they harmed anything on Peggy’s head. “Did they get tough with you after I left?”

Peggy looked confused and chuckled, “Oh, this?” She touched her hand to her head. “Might need a little ice, Sousa punched me as I was trying to extricate him from his attack on Thompson.”

“I see,” Jarvis sighed relieved.

“I’m glad A-” she started to say her name and then stopped. “A friend of mine won’t see this until I have been able to properly tend to it. She might get the wrong idea of how I got it, like you did, just now.”

“Yes, I can see how someone would jump to conclusions about it.”

As they made their way over to Stark’s apartment, Jarvis tried to broach the subject that he knew about Miss Martinelli about thirty times, each time it died on his lips because he didn’t know how to do it without implicating himself in something Miss Carter would be most unhappy to hear. But then he thought about all the lies that had been going around lately, and if he wanted to keep Miss Carter as a friend and ally, he decided he should come clean.

As they parked in front of the building, Jarvis started to get out with her, but Peggy stopped him.

“No need to escort me up to the apartment, Mr. Jarvis, I know the way.”

“It’s late and I will most decidedly be escorting you up there, Miss Carter. Besides, I have something to tell you.”

Peggy narrowed her eyes at him. “What?”

“I’ll tell you in the penthouse,” he said, as he retrieved her case from the back of the car.

Her eyes bore a hole in the back of his head as she followed him into the building. He tried not to look at her as they got into the elevator and went to the top floor.

As the elevator doors opened, Jarvis again walked ahead of Peggy and she again, bore a hole in the back of his head as he walked her case to the room where she would be staying.

“That’s enough,” Peggy said, as she stopped in the hallway and put her hands on her hips. “I simply cannot go on a moment longer without knowing what you have to say. What is it? One of Howard’s inventions, the SSR doesn’t know about, set to blow up the world in thirty minutes?”

Jarvis didn’t take the bait and he opened the door and set her case on the bench in front of the bed. He went back out of the room and walked passed her into the library, fluffing up the pillows on the sofa and then sat down, indicating she should take a seat too.

She rolled her eyes and indignantly flopped herself on the armchair across from him folding her arms in front of her and implored him to get on with it with the look on her face.

He stopped and started three times before finally saying, “Miss Martinelli…Angie, says ‘hi’,” he tried to smile sweetly but it just ended up looking pathetic because he was nervous.

Peggy sat up straight and unfolded her arms, “How do you…when did she give you that message?”

“Earlier this afternoon, before I came to see you at the SSR with the confession,” Jarvis said, and had hoped the questioning would end there, but he wasn’t so lucky.

Peggy narrowed her eyes before asking, “Where, exactly, were you when she relayed that request to you?”

“In her car?” Jarvis was more nervous now and he started to sound as though he would speak in question form all night.

“ _How_ did you get in her car?” Peggy asked, then she held up her hand to stop his answer and got up out of the armchair. She started to pace and spun on her heel and looked at him. “Her brother left a car for me at the Dublin House. Did she go to see you there?”

He was scared, but he nodded his head in earnest, “Yes, she and Miss Scotti…were most kind and came to tell me about your arrest.”

“Miss Scotti?”

“I believe her Christian name is Carla? She’s a very lovely-”

Peggy held up her hand again, her eyes were frantically looking around the room as she processed the information Jarvis was relaying to her.

Peggy set her head askew as she asked her next question, “Was she perhaps driving said car when she relayed this ‘hello’ to you to give to me?”

Jarvis hesitated for a moment and Peggy spun back around on her heel while he tried to formulate an answer that wouldn’t have her exploding with rage.

“Well…”

“Oh, for God’s _ever-loving_ sake, Jarvis!” Peggy started to pace again, this time faster and with more gravity to her steps. She finally stopped and looked at the piano, not really seeing anything except Angie in various types of danger.

“She was very persuasive in pointing out that the SSR would know my car, and in that situation, I would not have made it near the building, which would have hindered me from being able to present the confession to your boss. The added benefit was that it gave me time to write it.”

Her head snapped around and he was blown back a little by the look in her eyes.

“A confession, I might point out, that didn’t work and I had to give up Steve’s blood anyway, to get them to trust me.”

“As I said before, Miss Carter, I had panicked-”

“Spare me, _please man_ , from your tale of panicked and unbelievably flawed decision making,” she said, with just the right amount of venom in her voice to let him know he was treading on very tenuous ground.

Jarvis sounded wounded as he spoke, “Yes, well, not everyone has been trained by the best of the SOE to be whip smart critical thinkers under the gun. At best, I can get someone out of Mr. Stark’s apartment in under fifteen minutes when he wants them to vacate, but there is where my quick-thinking abilities end.”

Peggy heard the hurt in his voice and softened a little. She was still mad at him for letting Angie get mixed up in all this business, but it really wasn’t his fault that any of them were in this, except for Howard Stark. She took in a deep breath and tried to calm her thoughts and emotions.

“I…just,” she hesitated to tell him the real reason but pushed forward, wanting to let him know the gravity of the situation. Besides, she thought that it was about time she was truthful with him about Angie. “It’s that I’m worried, Mr. Jarvis. About Angie…”

“Why? She didn’t get into any trouble, I doubt the SSR even knows she was the one who dropped me off today.”

“She was evicted from our place of residence and I called her mother earlier, she’s not there either,” her fright started to build up again and she resumed her pacing. “I might just be jumping to conclusions here, but I think maybe something happened to her, I mean, I don’t know but…”

“What would cause you to think anything happened to her?” Jarvis became alarmed because if anything did happen to Angie he would surely be garroted by Miss Carter.

Peggy again hesitated a little, she didn’t want to reveal too much, but she was pretty worried, especially after the call to Mrs. Martinelli.

“Dottie Underwood is out there, and I just worry that she’s maybe…I know it sounds stupid…”

“Who’s Dottie Underwood?”

“Ida Emke, the one who we were looking for before I was arrested?”

“Oh yes, Miss Shackleton,” Jarvis said, with a smirk.

“Miss Shackleton?”

“You know…the cuffs to the bed?”

“Jarvis, at any other time than when I’m out of my mind with fright, I might laugh at your witty name play there, but now is not the time.”

The smirk was off his face in an instant. “I completely understand. Sorry.”

“Thank you,” Peggy said, then sighed. “I don’t know what else to do.”

“How about showing up to her place of work tomorrow, she hasn’t been fired has she?”

“Not that I know of, truth be told. But you’re right, why _would_ she have been? And the restaurant wasn’t that badly incapacitated, so she should be at work tomorrow…”

“If only to lend a helping hand to it’s clean up and reopening…” Jarvis added helpfully.

“You’re right, Mr. Jarvis. Thank you,” Peggy’s smile brightened. “Before I go see to see Agent Sousa in the hospital, I will stop by the automat to see her.”

“Very well, I’ll drop you off there in the morning and then accompany you to the hospital.”

“Thank you,” Peggy said, she was grateful for his help, if not his humor sometimes.

“She is a very lovely woman,” Jarvis added, before he started out the door to the lounge.

Peggy smiled as she thought of Angie, especially the look on her face as she was standing out on the ledge.

“Yes, she is,” Peggy blushed as she looked down at the floor.

“I expect we’ll be seeing more of her?” Jarvis said, as he opened the door and turned back to look at Peggy.

“Yes, we will,” Peggy full on beamed at him.

He smiled warmly at her, “Very well, I’ll see you bright and early in the morning.”

*****

“Are you going to go check on your niece?” Freddy said, his voice barely above a whisper as he accepted the cool damp cloth from Bobby and put it on his forehead.

“I already did, darling, you’ve just gotten up, but I’ve been up with the sun,” Bobby said, a little too cheerfully for Freddy’s tastes and he groaned, clutching at his head.

“How was she?” Freddy finally managed to say without too much difficulty.

“Much the same as you, I’m about to go back there, to try and get her up and moving. She groaned for about fifteen minutes and then rolled back over, so there’s progress there.”

“Poor dear, I wish someone had been an adult and stopped her last night.”

“That was your job, dear.”

“But who was going to stop me?”

“Don’t look at me, I wasn’t even here.”

Freddy pulled the covers over his eyes when Bobby opened the curtains.

“Rise and shine, my love, it’s after nine.”

“PM or AM?”

“AM,” Bobby smirked at Freddy’s covered head.

“Wake me when it’s PM, I just need a few more hours to recover.”

“Oh, no, we’re going to have to get you both up, espresso-ed and showered, I’ll bet Peggy is calling out a search party for my niece. Furthermore, I’ve a good mind to call Lucy and tell her what you did to her daughter last night.”

Freddy pulled the covers back over his head and squinted harshly at Bobby, not only from what he just said, but because the light hurt his eyes.

“I cannot believe, after all these years…”

“You think you’re the only one that’s been after Lucy?” Bobby asked and petted his beard like he was a dastardly foil who was plotting something.

“Her dresses wouldn’t fit you, _bitch_ ,” Freddy shot back.

“You better apologize for that right this minute, or I will do, ‘O Mio Babbino Caro’, at the top of my lungs…”

“Soprano?” Freddy asked, frightened.

Bobby narrowed his eyes at him, “Contralto.”

“I am most grievously sorry, Bobby, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa,” Freddy said, and put his hands up to him in prayer. “I’ll behave.”

“Good, then get up and get in that shower, we have to try to get my niece as fit as a fiddle. I don’t want there to be blood on my new carpet as her mother and Peggy take to you with a meat cleaver.”

Freddy shuddered and got up, very gingerly and made his way to the bathroom.

*****

At almost the same time Freddy was getting in the shower, Peggy walked into the L&L and looked around. The place looked a little worse for wear, but most of it was cleaned and put back in its place.

“Oh! There she is, _Alma_ Capone,” Mal said, gesturing at Peggy with his thumb. He had been sweeping behind the counter. “You come back to finish the job? There were some dishes you didn’t smash into someone’s face yet?”

“Peggy!” Carla exclaimed and rushed up to her, throwing her arms around her.

Peggy was a little shocked at her reaction at first and being British she didn’t really feel comfortable with this open display of affection, but she was learning to like this kind of unfettered American joy and returned the hug gratefully.

“I was _so_ worried; we didn’t know if you had gotten out yet or what…” Carla said, squeezing her tight.

“Charges were dropped, all a complete misunderstanding, Carla,” Peggy said, as her hug ended and she smiled at her.

“I knew it! I knew that’s what it was! See Mal? I told you.”

“Yeah, you sure told me,” he said, shaking his head.

“So, where’s Angie, is she with you?” Carla said, looking passed Peggy at the space behind her. Peggy’s eyes went wide and her face drained of it’s color. “Oh, no, don’t tell me…” Carla put her hand over her heart and she had to sit down.

“What?” Peggy asked, alarmed.

“The Captain America thing…it broke you up, didn’t it?”

Peggy narrowed her eyes at Carla, who was now bent forward, her head slumped over her shoulders. She said, “Carla, please tell me, what ‘Captain America’ thing?”

Carla lifted her head and looked behind the counter at Mal who was sneakily looking towards them, trying to hear what was being said but not trying to reveal he was eavesdropping. She took Peggy by the hand to the back table near the automat side in the corner.

“She found out about you, ya know, being Captain America’s girlfriend, back then…”

Peggy’s face looked sad, she had wished she was the one to tell Angie that bit of information, and that she hadn’t waited so long to do it.

“Was she…upset?”

“She was a bit embarrassed actually, she said she had quoted Betty Carver to you,” Carla made a face that Peggy had to laugh at.

“She did, and while it was better than whoever they have playing the role now, I had to bite my tongue.”

“Well, I’m glad it doesn’t seem like you to had words about it, what brings you in here?”

“I was looking for Angie, as a matter of fact. I’m still working on this case and I have to go back soon, but I haven’t heard from her since my arrest and I wanted to let her know that I’m okay.”

“She’s not at her apartment?”

Peggy shook her head sadly, “Our landlady evicted her.”

“For what?!”

“I don’t know, but when I find out, I’m going to have a word...”

“That scooch, Fry…she was always such a damned noodge!”

“You knew her?”

Carla nodded, “I lived there when Angie first moved in, before I had to move back in downtown with my mom. She got sick and my sister had moved to California, so I moved back in with her.”

“Ah, I see, why didn’t you get a job closer to where you live, it’s awfully far…”

Carla shrugged, “It gives me time to myself, to tell you the truth, ya know, to read and think. Besides, I got attached to the people, ya know?”

Peggy’s heart went out to Carla, she realized that besides working at the L&L, she took care of her mother around the clock and probably never had quality time to herself.

Carla brought Peggy out of her thoughts by asking, “What about her mother’s?”

“Oh, no,” she said, sighing. “I called there and she acted like she didn’t even know that Angie was evicted, so I didn’t say anything just yet.”

“I don’t know, Peg, I think she oughta know, ya know? Like who’s the one person that can find out where she really is?”

“I’m worried that…”

“What?”

“I can’t really say, because it’s an open investigation, but there was a girl in our building, she’s been here before-”

“ _Hayseed_ ,” Carla spit out bitterly.

“Y-yes, that’s what Angie calls her…how did you…”

“I warned Angie about that one, but I didn’t know if I was being stupid or not.”

“About what?”

“Well, that day that Angie called out and you were here with that one, after you left she had such a strange look on her face, like she booby trapped your pocket book and she was waiting for it to explode.”

“Carla, I don’t want to alarm you, but she’s a highly trained assassin and if she comes in here you are not to engage her, just run to the nearest open, crowded area and call for the police.”

Carla looked at her amazed, “Madonna mio! An assassin?”

Peggy nodded her head slowly, her eyes conveying the truth.

“I need to make sure Angie is okay, but I have to go to work, we’re on the precipice of cracking this case wide open, I can feel it…but, I need to find out if she’s in danger or not.”

Carla nodded, “Say no more, Peg, you leave it to me. I’ll go do some of my own detective work and I’ll report back.”

“But what if she’s kid-”

Carla held up her hand, “Don’t even think it, but if that’s the case, I’ll tell you and then you can go in and beat that bitch to within an inch of her life, no?”

“Without question,” Peggy said, setting her jaw.

“Besides, I would have thought if that hayseed did do something like kidnap her, wouldn’t you think she’d have set a ransom by now, or gotten in touch with you at least?”

“You’re right, I should get my day started. I have to go down to the hospital, I need to pick up Agent Sousa, if they’ll release him and then I can get to the office. In fact, I’ll check in to see if there was anything from or about Angie before I leave here,” Peggy smiled sincerely as she took out a nickel from her pocket and went to go make a phone call to the SSR.

After she was finished finding out that there were no new leads and nothing from Dottie calling in a ransom request, she went up to Carla and smiled gratefully at her, “I thank you for your help, Carla, truly, I don’t know what I’d do if it weren’t for you today.”

“Probably go cuckoo,” Carla smirked.

“Yes, definitely that,” Peggy chuckled. “Are you sure your boss won’t mind if you leave early?”

“We’re not opening up completely today, I did most of the cleaning already, he’s just doing to-go orders, so I think it’s covered.”

“If you’re sure…”

“I’m positive, you think I’m gonna be any good to anyone today if I don’t find out where Angie is?”

Peggy smiled gratefully at Carla and put her hand on her shoulder, pulling her in for a grateful hug.

“I feel less frightful now that I know that Dottie hasn’t called the SSR with any kind of ransom, and that you’re here to help me locate her. Please promise me you won’t do anything foolish out there. Just try to call around to places you think she might be, no vigilante behavior, capisce?”

Carla pulled back and looked at Peggy, impressed, then said sincerely, “Io capisco.”

Peggy pulled her in one more time for a hug and they heard a low whistle. Myra had just come in.

“I finally caught yas redhanded,” she said, with her hands on her hips.

“Oh, shut up, Myra,” Carla said, and turned back to Peggy. “I promise, Peg, I’ll find out where she is, you go to work and don’t worry.”

“Chance would be a fine thing…I’ll worry until I can hold her in my arms, and she can tell me herself that she’s okay,” Peggy said, looking straight into Carla’s eyes, not caring who was in earshot to hear it.

Carla nodded and watched as Peggy left the restaurant, nodding to Myra as she left.

“Ooh, that one’s got it bad…”

“You don’t remember when you and Bertie were that way?”

“Yeah,” Myra snorted, “We were that way for about fifteen minutes in January of 1940.”

Carla chuckled and shook her head, “I’m gonna shove off, My, I did most of what needs to be done in here, that one back there needs to put the chairs and things back. Don’t let him get you to do it, in your condition, I’d kill him.”

“You okay?”

Carla sighed and looked at her, “Angie didn’t show up here, and she’s not at her mother’s.”

“Anyone dare to check her apartment?” Marla said, with a puzzled smirk.

“She was evicted last night,” Carla said, worriedly.

“Oh, that damned Fry,” Myra said, bitterly.

“You knew Miriam?”

“You think you and Angie were the only ones to live at that place? I lasted like two days before she tossed me out.”

“Bertie?”

“Jerry…”

“Myra…”

Myra shrugged.

Carla waved her hand at her dismissively, “I better get going now. Peggy needs me to see where Angie is.”

“Maybe she don’t like being lied to and she’s hiding; did yas ever think of that?”

“No one likes being lied to, but listen,” Carla went in close to Myra. “That hayseed is the Mata Hari we thought she was.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, so if she shows up here for any reason, you just calmly go to the phone and call the cops, you got it?”

“It’s like that?”

“It’s completely like that and more,” Carla said. “Just don’t build it up into one of your fantasies and lose sight of the fact that she’s a menace to society and she could probably crack your neck with a hug.”

“Whatta ya mean, ‘one of my fantasies’?”

“You know, you get all in your head and make up stories and plots for people that don’t exist.”

“It’s called a creative mind, Carla, _some_ people value that.”

“Well, today you just keep your head about you, I don’t want to lose any of my friends.”

Myra smiled at Carla, she was clearly touched.

“You…you think of me as your friend, Carla?”

Carla shrugged, “Yeah, why not? Don’t you think of me as your friend?”

“I mean, yeah but…”

“Then what are you yakking about? Look,” Carla said, as she took off her apron. “I gotta run. Tell Mal I’ll be back tomorrow for my regular shift.”

“Okay, doll, be careful yourself, you hear?” Myra said, and pulled Carla into a hug. Just then they were interrupted by another low whistle, this time it was Junie who had just come out from the back room.

Myra pulled out of the hug and waved her hand, “Oh you, Junie, you have such an overactive imagination,” she said, waggling a finger at her.

“Bye ladies,” Carla said, with a chuckle and went to leave the restaurant to try and figure out what happened to Angie.

“Hey, Car,” Myra said, before she got out the door. “Don’t do anything stupid, like get yourself killed or kidnapped, man the phones from home, yeah?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything stupid.”

“And if Angie shows up here, I’ll give you a call,” Myra said, with a nod.

Carla smiled and nodded at her, “I appreciate that.”

“What are friends for?” Myra smiled warmly at her.

“Exactly,” Carla returned the warm smile. “So long.”

“Be good.”

Carla left the restaurant and felt good about that exchange, she really felt these women had her back and it made her feel like she could accomplish anything. She really hoped that accomplishment included finding where Angie was.

*****

Peggy went out of the room as the nurses helped Agent Sousa get out of bed and get dressed. The doctor had come in and released him and gave him something for the scratchiness in his throat.

She had wanted to talk to him about why he hadn’t come to her when he started to suspect that she might be working for Stark, but she decided against it. It would require too much of her brain power and currently it was occupied by trying to find Fenhoff, Dottie and Angie. That last person was the one that, while not actively in the forefront because of the urgency of stopping Leviathan, scared her the most.

As they made their way in Sousa’s car, he apologized to her for his actions.

“I appreciate that, Sousa, but you were just doing your job,” Peggy said, truthfully. “I probably would have done the same.”

“But I didn’t come and ask you anything, I just assumed…”

“I can’t help you there. I only know that I felt you saw evidence that would have led you to believe I was a double agent and I was trying to undermine the investigation into Stark.”

“That’s part of it,” Sousa said, a little guiltily.

“Part of it? Do I want to know what the other part of the reason is?”

“Probably not, or you might not want to speak to me ever again, just know that I’m sorry and I’ll never doubt you again.”

“Thank you,” she said. ‘I think,’ she thought.

They spent the rest of the ride to the SSR in silence.

*****

“Carla, you’re home early, stai bene?” Carla’s mother asked.

“Yeah, Ma, sto bene. Mal didn’t have anything else for me to do today, so I came home. I’m gonna be using the phone for a while. You need anything?”

“No, sweetheart, I’m fine. Just doing today’s crossword.”

Carla smiled at her mother, “Va bene, I’ll just be in here, you holler if you need me.”

“Io faro.”

Carla went into the kitchen and picked up the phone, she started calling all the people who might know where Angie was and got nowhere. Finally, she looked in the address book and found another number that she used to know by heart.

The person picked up on the first ring and she said, “Sal, I need that favor now, it’s Carla.”

“Hey, Carla, whatever you need, babe.”

“I just need your help getting a number,” Carla said.

“Hey, Car, I work in local government, I don’t run any numbers racket.”

She smiled and closed her eyes, “No, Sal, not that kinda number. I need a phone number.”

“Why didn’t you call the operator?”

“Unlisted number.”

“Oh…okay, go ahead shoot.”

“Roberto Martinelli.”

“The tenor?”

“Yeah.”

“You sweet on him or something?”

“Or something,” Carla said, quickly.

“Okay, hang on, let me see what I got. I think he might have been in here getting some kinda permit or something recently.”

“Sure, great, thanks.”

Carla waited a few moments, praying that Sal had something for her. They had dated once upon a time and he was a nice guy, but it didn’t work out. He still called on her every now and again to help him with his mother, who adored Carla and wouldn’t let him forget about her.

“I got something, Car, not sure if it’s the most recent or a temp number…”

“That’s fine, I’ll take my chances.”

“You into any trouble?” He asked, worried for her.

“No, Sal, to tell you the truth I’m trying to get ahold of his niece, she works with me and I haven’t been able to locate her. She didn’t show up to work today and we’re kinda wondering.”

“Did you call the hospitals?”

“I was hoping to avoid going down that route just yet. If I call her family later and they still haven’t heard, then I’m sure we’re gonna start calling those.”

“Okay, well I hope she’s fine.”

“Me too, thanks,” Carla smiled into the phone at his thoughtfulness. “I’m ready for that number.”

“Yeah, right, here it is, HAmilton7-3222.”

“7-3222, got it. Thanks a million, Sal, I appreciate it. Hey, how’s your mother?”

“She’s doing well, thanks. As a matter of fact, she was asking for you the other day.”

“Oh, yeah? That’s nice, tell her I said, hello.”

“I will, Carla, she’ll be overjoyed,” he chuckled.

“Okay, well, I guess that pays your debt.”

“Nah, this was too easy to pay you back for what you did for me. When you really need something, you call me.”

She smiled, “I will, thanks.”

“Take care of yourself,” Sal said, not really wanting to hang up without asking her for another shot at dating, but not really wanting to bother her. It was something that had always been a problem in his life, not wanting to bother people.

“I will, ciao.”

“Ciao.”

“Say, Sal…”

“Yeah?”

“Maybe we could…” She trailed off, she also didn’t want to bother him or seem desperate.

“Sure!” He was a little too eager and they both laughed at that.

“How do you know I wasn’t going to say, ‘Go jump in a lake?’”

“I like swimming, so that would be fine with me,” he smiled.

“Okay, well, I got this to take care of first, you call me when you’re off work and we’ll figure it all out.”

“That’s great, I’ll call you later tonight if you’re free.”

“I should be, but if I’m not you call back, you hear?”

“Yes, I hear.”

“Good,” she said, “So long.”

“So long.”

Carla smiled and sighed, she always liked Sal, but there were times when he seemed like he wasn’t interested and she didn’t want to look too eager. So that’s where they were for most of the time they knew each other. Interested, but neither wanting to “bother” the other.

She realized she was daydreaming and broke herself out of her reverie, she dialed the number he gave her.

*****

“Angie, darling, are you awake?”

Bobby heard a groan, that told him she was awake, but barely.

“Oh, dear, this is going to be worse than I thought,” he mumbled to himself and sat down on the bed next to her.

“Uncle Bobby?” Angie’s voice sounded very hoarse and he almost couldn’t hear her.

“What’s that, my dear?”

“Did I die?” She sounded pained as she said that.

“No dear, you and your Aunt Freddy got _absotively_ , _posolutely_ , _stinko_ last night on martinis.”

Angie groaned, “Oh…don’t remind me…”

“I’m sorry, but you did and we have to start facing facts, dear. Because you have to get up and get yourself well.”

There was a soft knock on the bedroom door, so soft it was curious to Bobby and he thought he misheard it.

Bobby continued, “As I say-”

“Excuse me,” Freddy said, quietly and came in clutching his head, almost like he was trying to hold it upright on his shoulders. “There’s someone on the phone for Angie.”

“Is it Peggy?” Angie said, as quiet as Freddy had been and Bobby burst out laughing, he thought it comical how they were being so quiet.

“Ooh, Bobby, shhhh,” Freddy said, with his hands over his ears.

Angie had pulled the pillow over her face.

“Who is it on the phone, dear?” Bobby asked.

“Carla, she said she’s a friend of Angie’s.”

“Oh, yes, I remember Carla, very nice girl, I’ll go talk to her while you try to get Angie upright,” he said and pointed at the pillow. “Don’t let her smother herself with the pillow, there, Fred. I’ll be back.”

Bobby trotted back to the house and hoped she was still on the line, “Hello, Carla?” he said, a little out of breath.

“M-Mr. Martinelli?”

“Yes, it’s Bobby, you remember when we met?”

“Yes, sir, you sang beautifully at Angie’s last birthday…”

“Thank you, I’m glad you liked it.”

“I’m hoping you can help me, Mr. Martinelli…”

“Please, call me Bobby,” he said, smiling into the phone.

“Oh, no, I couldn’t…”

“Uncle Bobby then?”

“Really?”

“Whynot, you’re a friend of Angie’s, no?”

“Yes,” Carla said, blushing.

“Well, then, Uncle Bobby it is!”

“Okay, Uncle Bobby, I was hoping to speak to Angie, your…you know, your…”

“Husband, dear,” Bobby said, never one to try to lie about something, especially to family or friends.

“Yes, your husband said she was there, can I speak to her?”

“At the moment, she’s quite indisposed, I’m afraid, Carla.”

“Will she be available in twenty minutes? I could call back.”

“I’m not going to lie to you Carla,” Bobby said, gravely and Carla’s heart sunk. “She got blotto last night.”

“Oh no!”

“Yes, I’m afraid, Freddy and she drank a pitcher of martinis, _each_ by the looks of them this morning and I don’t think she’ll be available for anything except ‘calling Huey on the big porcelain phone’.”

“Calling who on the…ohhhhh, I getcha, ew yeah. I know exactly what you mean.”

“I tell you what, are you doing anything at the moment?”

“No, sir, I had told Peggy I would man the phones and call around to see where she was. Peggy came into work and told me what happened to Angie about her apartment and then that she didn’t show up to her parents last night and didn’t come into work this morning…”

“Oh my, Peggy was going to call out the dogs, wasn’t she?”

“Yeah, I’m sure she would have if I called her to tell her that I couldn’t find Angie.”

“Listen, Carla, how about you come out to my house here?”

“M-me, come to your house…”

“Yes, you would be such a help to Angie, I’m going to have my hands full with Freddy and it would ease my mind knowing that someone was taking care of Angie.”

“I’d be honored, sir, thank you.”

“It might be tough stuff, Carla, she is pretty bad off this morning…”

“I’ve been there before, so I know what you mean. Just get me a bucket and all the cleaning rags and Lysol you can spare; I’ll have everything well in hand.”

“I don’t doubt that. I’ll tell you what you do, you take the train as far as Great Neck and I’ll have a car waiting for you at the station, to bring you the rest of the way. Sound good?”

“Sounds wonderful,” she said, truthfully.

“Okay, darling, we’ll see you here in about an hour. Have a good trip.”

“Thank you, sir,” Carla said.

“Ah ah ah, Carla…”

“Thank you, Uncle Bobby,” she said and smiled.

“There’s a good girl, so long.”

“So long,” Carla said and hung up the phone.

“Hey, Ma,” Carla said, as she came out of the kitchen. “I just found out Angie needs me. I’m gonna go help her. Are you gonna be okay?”

“I’ll be fine, darling, you go help your friend,” she said, and kissed Carla when she bent down to give her a kiss. She went into the other room to get changed but kept the door open so she could still talk to her mother. “I don’t know how long this is gonna take, but I should be back to cook for you.”

“If not, don’t worry, we have the leftovers from yesterday, I’ll just heat them in the oven.”

Carla poked her head out of the door and asked, “You’re sure?”

“Assolutamente,” she said and smiled at her daughter.

“You’re such a dear.”

“Look who’s talking,” her mother said and winked at her. “Tell Angie I said, hi”

“I will, Ma,” Carla said, as she continued to get changed. “I’ll call you when I’m there, just to let you know I got there okay.”

“Okay, cara mia, have a good time.”

‘I wish it was going to be a good time,’ Carla thought. “I’ll try,” she said to her mother and blew her a kiss as she went out the door.

*****

As Peggy and the rest of the team tried to work out what Ivchenko would be trying to get his hands on, Howard Stark made his appearance at an opportune time. Peggy was happy to see him, but she was also mad that he hadn’t gone about this a different way to begin with.

Thompson did his best to menace Stark on what else he knew about this dangerous gas and Howard explained what it really was meant for, which was to combat the Nazi’s use of meth amphetamine to keep their soldiers up for inhumane amounts of hours in order to fight long battles without having to sleep. Howard offered himself up as bait to catch who they now knew was Johann Fenhoff and the boys immediately jumped on it. ‘Typical,’ Peggy thought. She would have exercised more caution there, but she wasn’t the one in charge. She would do everything she could to protect him though. 

Howard was pretty persuasive in his argument for going ahead with the stupidest plan she had heard since Jarvis suggested to “get the drop” on the SSR agents the day before. He was just the right amount of contrite for his actions, if not a bit of a baby about getting what he wanted. She had to admit that everything wasn’t his fault, he had just been reckless about wanting to help his government.

It was why as Thompson, Howard and the others were standing in front of City Hall and Stark was being hailed a hero, that she took point, with a gun in her hand, looking up at the buildings. She would protect her fellow man even if that meant she might die in the process. She just hoped she would get to see Angie one more time before anything like that happened. Just to tell her she was sorry, and that while she wouldn’t always be able to tell her what she wanted to know, that she wouldn’t lie to her anymore.

At least not intentionally.

*****

“Angie?” Carla asked quietly, as she approached the bed with extreme caution, the only indication that someone was in it was that there was the slightest of lumps in the middle, under the comforter.

The tortured groan came moments later and it worried Carla a little. She approached the bed still slowly, not wanting to scare Angie, or hurt her with any loud sounds.

“Hey, Ange, sweetie, can I get you anything?”

The comforter slowly pulled away from Angie’s face and she looked pitifully at Carla.

“Strychnine?” Angie asked, her throat sounded sore.

Carla chuckled and tutted, “Poor baby, what did you do to yourself last night? You didn’t listen to me did you? You beat yourself up about what happened to Peggy, am I right?”

“I’d nod my head but if I do, I’ll mess up this beautiful bedspread.”

“Ooh, ‘you sang a rainbow’, huh?”

“Just before you came in, in fact. I managed to get back into bed and I think that counts as my accomplishments for the day,” she said, and lay back pulling the covers over her face again.

“Ange, we gotta get you well. Don’t you wanna see Peggy today?”

“See her today? She’s out?” The questions were muffled because she hadn’t taken the covers back off her face.

“Yeah, they dropped all charges, which we knew they would, because ya know, if she’s a traitor then I’m the King of Siam…”

Angie pulled the covers off of herself again.

“Help me sit up, Carla…”

Carla went over to her and took her hands as Angie pulled herself to an upright position.

“Oh, nope, too fast!” Angie said, and got up, pushing passed Carla and running with her hand over her mouth into the bathroom.

Carla closed her eyes as she heard Angie getting sick.

When the current volley of sickness seemed to abate, Angie sat back against the wall next to the toilet, her hand on her head. Carla went into the bathroom, opening a cupboard and finding a face cloth, which she took to the sink, running it under cool water until the cloth was good and soaked. She rang it out and went over to Angie, putting the cloth on her forehead and rubbing the back of her neck for her.

“Did you have any medicine for the head?”

“I did, but I think it’s in there now,” she pointed to the toilet.

“Povera bambina,” Carla said, and sat on the floor next to her, putting the cloth back on Angie’s forehead.

“Did you say, Peggy was out?” Angie asked, after a while.

“She is, I saw her this morning and she asked me to find you. She was worried Hayseed mighta gotten to you.”

“With what?”

“Apparently the woman is an…come si chiamano…button man.”

“She’s an assassin?”

“That’s the word.”

“What the hell? Are you sure?”

“Pretty sure, at least, that’s what she said.”

“Iowa, Golly Gee Gosh, cornfed dancer, _that_ hayseed?” Still didn’t believe it even though she was warned about her.

“The one and the same.”

“Oh my God, why the hell was she living at the Griffith?”

“Given Peg’s job and the amount of times I saw her looking at her funny, I’d say she was watching her every move.”

Angie thought about Dottie’s five am call for the map, she probably realized that Peggy was in there that day and she wanted to see what was going on. And it was probably the real reason why Miriam Fry kicked her out. She had said she knew about Dottie leaving and that she had told her to leave her key on the counter.

“Peggy thought I might be kidnapped?”

“Oh yeah, she almost wasn’t going to go to work today, but I told her I’d do my best Sam Spade and find out where you were.”

Angie smiled weakly at her, “And you did…”

“You bet I did.”

“Was she upset that I wasn’t around?”

“More worried than anything, but don’t _you_ go worrying that she’ll be mad at you.”

They both went quiet for a while before Carla got up and rewet the cloth, putting it on the back of Angie’s neck this time.

“Oh, God, thank you, Carla, you’re an angel.”

“You drank gin, didn’t you?”

“A lot, I’m sorry now to say.”

“That’s the only thing that gets me sick like this, is gin.”

“They were good, the martinis, but I think I’m done with them for about a decade,” Angie said, then asked, “Did my uncle call you?”

“No, I called around and got nowhere, then I remembered you said he was building this house out here and that he was in town. I figured you probably wanted to lay low for a bit, after getting kicked out of the Griffith.”

“I’m surprised my mom hasn’t called me yet.”

“She doesn’t know, Peg said she called there to talk after she had heard you were tossed and your Mom said she hadn’t heard from you, but she said she didn’t tell her anything, especially if you didn’t want to tell her just now, ya know, because she’d worry.”

Angie sighed, gratefully. “Peggy’s right, she would have worried. I just wanted to come out and clear my head, you know? I was thinking some really bad thoughts.”

Carla was worried for her friend’s mental state and she asked, “Like what?”

“Like maybe letting Peggy go…”

“Oh, Ange…”

“I’m not thinking that now, though, my uncle set me straight.”

“That’s good. Which uncle? I’d like to thank him,” she said, and smiled at her.

Angie put her hand on Carla’s arm, grateful for her friendship. She corrected herself, “Well, I should call him my Aunt, that’s what we call him.”

“The one who also got drunk last night?”

“Yeah, we call him ‘Aunt Freddy’,” Angie then proceeded to tell her the story about why they called him that.

Carla chuckled, “I can see him in a dress. He keeps his figure just right for it.”

“I haven’t seen him in a dress, ever. He never would show us that side of himself, but now I’m kinda curious,” Angie said, with a smile.

“When all this is over and things get back to normal, we should have some sort of party. You can come to it however you want and with whoever you wish to come with.”

“Sounds like a great time. Will there be martinis?”

“Oh, no, it’ll be completely Shirley Temples. No alcohol whatsoever.”

“That’s good.”

Angie sighed again and looked at Carla. “I better get up and get showered.”

“You sure you don’t need to…” she trailed off as she nodded at the toilet.

“Not at the moment, thankfully. Maybe later…we’ll see.”

“Okay, well, I’ll bring up some bagels, you need to soak up the rest of the alcohol that’s trying to poison your organs.”

“Oh, no, I don’t think I could eat, Carla.”

“Trust me, hon, you’ll eat it, ravenously, they’ll be plain, not even any butter on it. Not toasted, nothing. It’s the best thing for your condition.”

“If you say so, Nurse Scotti.”

“I say so,” Carla got up and draped the cloth over towel rack and then left to go get the bagels, some more aspirin and a warm coke. It always was great for settling the stomach.

“How’s the patient, Carla?” Uncle Bobby asked, as she went into the kitchen. He was whipping something up that had an egg, Worcestershire sauce and a dash of tobasco, she cringed as she thought of how it would taste.

“She’s a bit better, I think she’s done barking at her shoes for today.”

“What do you think she’ll want to eat? One of these? It works wonders for a hangover.”

“Not a gin hangover. Do you have any bagels?”

“Brought to us fresh from the best bakery on the island each morning,” Bobby said, as he pulled open the bread box and took out the paper sack with them in it.

“Great, a couple of plain ones, nothing on ‘em, and some warm coke, do you have that?”

“Over in that cupboard,” He said, and watched her get it out. “I’m glad that you got in touch with me, I had my hands full with Freddy and it seems you have Angie well in hand. Now I won’t feel so guilty when I have to go to rehearsal later.”

“You’re doing a show at the Brooklyn Opera House in a couple of weeks aren’t you?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“My mother and I listened to you on Kraft Music hall a few weeks ago, you were so funny with Bing Crosby.”

“Bing’s a dear friend.”

Carla was shocked at that. “He is?”

“Yes, he’s been trying to get me to go on that show for years, I didn’t think I fit in with their line up, but it did garner me a lot of attention, so who knows,” he shrugged. “I was wrong.”

“You sure were, I wrote my first piece of fan mail that day.”

“To me or to Bing?”

Carla laughed, “To you.”

“Oh, that’s so sweet of you. Did I answer you back?”

“No, not yet.”

“Well, then, let me say it in person,” he walked over to her and took her hand. “I appreciate your support more than you can know, dear Carla. You and your mother will have to come to see me in Brooklyn. I’ll send you tickets, you’ll have to give me your address.”

She blushed as he bent down slightly to kiss the back of her hand.

“Thank you!” she said, gratefully. “My mother will be so thrilled!”

“It’s the least I can do.” He smiled warmly at her. “Oh, say, have you called, Peggy yet?”

“I did, s-er, uh…Uncle Bobby. They said she was out on a case. She had told me she probably would be.”

“Okay, well, we’ll have to try her later.”

“I left a message for her to get in touch with us as soon as she can and I gave them the number to the cottage.”

“Good thinking, Carla, you dear girl,” he said, as he patted her hand that was in his. “Well, let me follow your lead and take Freddy in a bagel, hopefully he’ll be recovered before I go, I don’t want to worry about him _and_ Angie all night.”

“Don’t you worry, Uncle Bobby, I’ll be here for a while.”

“Your mother won’t mind?”

“Well…”

“Put your address down on that pad, I’ll have my driver go pick her up when he brings me into rehearsal in a bit. I’d love to have guests for dinner tonight.”

“Oh, she will be so thrilled, I have to go call her!” Carla practically bounced out of the kitchen to go use the phone.

He smiled as he watched her go.

“Oh youth,” he said, with a sigh.

*****

Peggy dialed the phone number she had stashed in her breast pocket that Rose had given her when she got back to the SSR building, she took a quick break as they were busy frantically trying to find out where Fenhoff would have taken Howard.

“Carla? Is that you?”

“Peg! I found her and I came out here to be with her.”

“Is she okay?”

“Well…”

“What?! What is it?” Peggy was alarmed.

“She had a few too many last night.”

“She got drunk?”

“Don’t be mad at her, Peg! Please, she was…well, you’ll have to have a talk with her but she was really low last night.”

Peggy sighed, “I won’t judge, I promise.”

“Carter, we have to move!” Sousa said, urgently.

“Is she there Carla?”

“She’s in the shower…”

“Carter!” Thompson yelled.

“One minute!” Peggy shouted back at him. “Carla…I have to go…tell her…” she was aware that Thompson was boring a hole into her skull and she couldn’t finish the sentence. She closed her eyes and wished she could at least talk to Angie, just for a moment. “Tell her…”

Carla could sense Peggy was holding back because someone was there that she didn’t want to hear her declaration of love to Angie. “Peg, you go, don’t worry, I’ll tell her you love her. Be safe.”

“Thank you ever so much, Carla,” Peggy said, relieved. “I’m truly grateful. You be safe, too.”

Peggy hung up the phone and cut her eyes at Thompson, then proceeded to run out of the door after him at full stride.

The sooner they could rescue Howard, the sooner she could get back to Angie and tell her she loved her in person.

She’d only scold her a little for getting so drunk that Carla had to go take care of her, but she was grateful to her for that, too.


	13. There's A Somebody I'm Longin' To See

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summary: Do Peggy and Angie ever get to see each other? Does Angie still feel like Peggy’s job is too important for her to help navigate through life with? Does Peggy catch hell for keeping it a secret from her, the fact that she knew Angie’s brother in the war? All of these questions…asked, but not answered here! 😉 Kidding!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is dedicated to the people keeping us safe, fed and clothed. All the doctors, nurses, emergency workers and people in essential positions such as grocery store, clothing store clerks and food and goods processing plants, including farms. They are the current heroes and we should honor them by wearing a mask and keeping them safe! We’re not out of the woods yet. I mean we can’t all be a completely closed off island like New Zealand. 😉 So, just because you’ve been cooped up for months now, doesn’t mean this thing is cured and you should go get a pint from your local pub. Let’s stay safe, stay in, hang in together and live! 😊

Carla busied herself by arranging the food that she got from the main house onto a table on the veranda overlooking the bay. She was awed by the view and the beautiful day that it had turned out to be. Warm, without being too warm and just the right amount of breeze.

Carla held her breath as Angie walked out gingerly, she was in a robe and her uncle’s slippers which were comically oversized for her feet but they would have to do, as she didn’t want to wear actual clothes or shoes right now, so what she wore when she had come out to their house wouldn’t be suitable at the moment.

“Why does it have to be so bright?” Angie asked, as she shielded her eyes. Carla pointed to a pair of sunglasses on the table.

“There you go, Ange. Your uncle said you might need those, so he left them there for you.”

“He’s sweet,” Angie said, sitting down and putting on the sunglasses. “And so are you, Carla.” She reached out to Carla and squeezed her hand when she put it in hers.

“Peggy called when you were in the shower,” Carla said, rubbing Angie’s shoulder. At first Angie was groaning because the massage was helping to relieve the unbelievable pressure in her shoulder, but then she was groaning because she had missed her call.

“Did she ask about me?”

“What do you think?”

Carla could feel Angie shrug her shoulders under her hand. “I don’t know…did you tell her what I did last night?”

“I did,” Carla said. “I told her not to be mad at you, she said she wasn’t. She really wanted to talk to you, but the guys in her office were calling her, they think they have a big crack in the case. She told me to tell you she loved you.”

Angie let out a long, relieved sigh. Those were the words that she had been waiting to hear, though she didn’t think she’d hear them being relayed through Carla. This break in the case must have been really important for Peggy to have to relay her declaration of love through her. Peggy was still pretty British as showing her emotions went.

After a while Angie said, “I love her too. I wish I had been able to talk to her…if anything happens-”

“Angie, please, don’t think that way. She’ll come back to you; don’t you worry about that. It was all she could do not to just drop everything and come out here now.”

“I know, Carla, I don’t doubt she loves me, I really don’t.”

“Then why were you thinking of ditching her?”

Angie felt a bit embarrassed about that.

“I had hoped you had forgotten about that, Car, I should have never said it.”

“But it’s okay to be cautious, Ange, you probably were just weighing what you would have to go through down the road, with what her life would be like without you as a couple, no?”

Angie pulled the sunglasses up from her face and looked at Carla, her face said it wasn’t judgmental or seeking to needle her, it was a mask of understanding.

“You’ve been there before, huh?”

“Many, many times,” Carla shrugged. “I don’t know what it is about me. I’ve been blessed with good looks and some smarts, and yet, I never have any confidence in myself.”

“You’re one of the smartest people I know, Car, you shouldn’t ever think of yourself as anything else.”

“It’s probably because I had to leave school in the seventh grade.”

“You did?” Angie was shocked, she would have never believed it.

Carla nodded her head. “My father died and Ma was having a really hard time with it. She couldn’t hold a job and raise my sister, besides she had that…come si chimano…melansomething…”

“Melancholy,” Angie said.

“Yeah, that’s it. She would just lay in bed all morning, I couldn’t get her up until noon, on a good day…ya know? I had to get Christina off to school and then try to get Ma up and on her feet.”

“I’m really sorry to hear you went through that, especially at such a young age.”

“Ya know, what could I do?” Carla shrugged again and looked out at the water. “This is pretty out here, hey?”

“It sure is…” Angie looked out at the bay. “Is that why you work all those doubles and won’t let Myra do them, even when she’s not…incinta?”

“I save as much as I can,” she chuckled. “Maybe buy something like this one day.”

“That would be lovely, wouldn’t it?”

“Why don’t your parents pack up their place in Queens and move in with your uncles out here? I’m sure they would love having the company, no?”

“I’m sure my uncles have asked about a dozen times, but my parents don’t want anything that they can’t afford themselves. Me? I’ll take it, and then work where I want, not where I have to.”

“See? You’re smart.”

“So are you, Carla, don’t listen to anyone who tries to tell you otherwise.”

Carla thought for a while and then said, “That Stu used to tell me how dumb I was all the time.”

“That big jerk that Peggy sent packing?”

“Yeah, I don’t know, I never said a word wrong to him, yet he just kept after me…” she trailed off as she thought of one night in particular.

Angie could see the worry in her face and asked, “What did he say to you?”

“Nothing really…” Carla said, truthfully.

“Carla, please tell me.”

“Maybe I misunderstood, ya know?”

“Carla, honey, please tell me what he said.”

Carla sighed and got up out of her chair, she went to the edge of the veranda and looked out at a passing boat.

“It’s not so much what he said…that night that you had went out on your audition, last month, I was running the garbage out of the back before we closed. He was having his customary late-night BLT…”

Angie turned around in her chair and looked at Carla’s back. Her blood pressure was rising and she could hear her heartbeat in her ears.

“Carla…don’t tell me…”

“He came out of nowhere; I didn’t even hear any footsteps…”

Angie got up out of her chair and walked behind Carla, putting her hand on her back, letting her know she was there for her, but she didn’t say anything, she just let Carla tell her story.

“He pushed me behind the garbage thing and I think he would have really done something bad, but the police came by on a patrol and he hightailed it out of there.”

Angie sighed relieved, “Oh my God, Car, he…I mean…did you tell anyone?”

“I told Mal that I wasn’t gonna do the garbage anymore, he’d have to do it, but I never said why. He probably thought it was about a rat, or something.”

“It was about a rat alright,” Angie said, bitterly. “That’s why you stopped me from doing the garbage too.”

Carla turned her head to Angie and nodded.

“I know I shoulda said something, but…the next day he acted like he was just coming out to tell me something, and he never said what he was out there to do…so I felt like I couldn’t say, nothin’ you know?”

“Yeah, I know exactly what you mean, you would be made to feel like you were just trying to keep a good man down. That you were just being a _bitch_.”

“When I saw Peggy stick that fork in that rat bastard’s side, I felt like all my prayers had been answered.”

Angie looked in Carla’s eyes and she saw relief there, she pulled her in for a soothing hug.

“They _had_ been answered, Carla. Mine too.”

Carla pulled back and looked sincerely into her eyes.

“So no more of that ‘letting Peggy go’ talk?”

“No, not unless she wants to, ya know?” Angie said, a little worriedly.

“Well, the way she sounded on the phone earlier today, she’s not lettin’ go until she’s put into a pine box.”

“Car…”

“Oh, yeah, bad choice of words, sorry. She’ll be fine.” Carla said, nonchalantly and waved her hand.

“I hope so…”

“Look, we better get you fed, the sooner you soak up all that stuff left in your stomach, the sooner you’ll be feeling right and stop thinking so...”

“Maudlin,” Angie finished for her.

“Yep that’s it,” Carla said, pointing at her.

Angie smiled and hugged her once more, saying, “I really don’t know what I’d do without you lately.”

“Yeah, some help I was, you didn’t even listen to me. You were thinking of lettin’ her go.”

“To tell you the truth,” Angie pulled back with a guilty look on her face, remembering why she got drunk. “I had decided the opposite and I was so relieved that I lost track of what I was drinking. We were listening to some really good music and dancing…I guess I thought the way I felt, there would be no consequences in the morning.”

“There’s always consequences in the morning,” Carla said, as they sat at the table and Angie started eating.

“You sure got that right,” Angie said, around a mouth full of bagel.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Carla said, with a smirk.

Angie said, “Okay, Ma, I won’t,” with her mouth still full and making sure Carla saw as much food as possible.

“Disgraziado!” She laughed, settling back into her chair and feeling lighter than she had in a while.

“Hey, Car?” Angie asked, without a mouth full of bagel this time.

“Yeah?”

“You ever wanted to go to secretary school?”

“Sure, but I can’t type a damn.”

“That’s what they teach you there.”

“Oh,” Carla said, then asked. “But when would I go? They don’t do nights at those schools, and I work mostly days at the L&L.”

“What happened if someone gave you a gift and paid for you to go?”

“But what would I use to pay rent and food?”

“I’ll have to work that one out, just keep your options open, huh?”

“Sure, whatever you say,” Carla said, and smiled at Angie.

Angie was going to do whatever she could to make sure she could help Carla change her job, so she didn’t have to work so many doubles anymore.

*****

Peggy depressed the microphone button and willed Howard to hear her.

“Howard, I know you loved him…I loved him, too,” she said, tears in her eyes and evident in her voice. “But this won’t bring him back.” She was desperate to connect with Howard to break him from this spell that Fenhoff had him under.

Currently, Howard Stark was in a jet plane, flying over the Hudson River into Manhattan, thinking he was flying over the frozen area of the Arctic Circle. He didn’t know it, but he was going to unleash the gas that made people try to kill each other, over New York City. She pressed the button on the microphone and said with sincerity, despite a little embellishing of the truth, “Howard you are the _one_ person on this earth who believes in me, I cannot lose you…” she had hoped it would be the one thing to break him of Fenhoff’s mind control. “Steve is gone…we have to move on, all of us. As impossible as that may sound, we have to let him go…” She was just about to give up hope as the silence on the radio stretched on. She put her hand on the other microphone, the one that she would use to tell Jarvis to shoot down Howard’s plane.

Then came a crackle from the speaker and Howard’s voice.

“Peg? He was good before I got a hold of him, huh?”

“Yes-yes-yes he-he was,” she said, out of breath from the abject fright she had just gone through. “Where are you?”

“Evidently flying a plane…to Manhattan, I guess you can explain that to me once I land,” Howard said, with a confused chuckle.

Peggy depressed the button on the other microphone, “Mr. Jarvis, he’s alright, stand down.”

Peggy sat there relieved, she was thankful that this time, she was able to bring someone back from certain death in a plane. Steve’s situation though different, still made her feel like this was a chance to redeem herself, and that he was with her, helping to bring his buddy Howard home that night. She looked up towards the ceiling to thank him.

Back on the ground, Howard was pretty horrified that they were going to shoot him down, he berated Jarvis for the notion that he would have wanted to be shot out of the sky, even in a situation like they were in tonight.

Peggy looked to see where Dottie had landed on the airplane wing, after she had kicked her out of the window, but the only sign of her was the blood she left and some bloody foot prints, she would be long gone by the looks of the blood that had dried on the ground of the hangar. That problem, unfortunately, would have to be dealt with another day.

As they made their way back into Manhattan, Howard leaned over the front seat and handed Peggy the device with Steve’s blood. She sat there in shocked silence, awed that he had managed to get it out of the SSR, but also thankful that he had thought to give it to her.

“The security is horrible in that place; I would advise against going back there to work unless they let me come and install my latest technology.”

Peggy smirked at him, “And what is that, exactly? Booby trapped devices, that shoot exploding poison arrows if you guess the password incorrectly?”

Howard narrowed his eyes, then said mischievously, “I hadn’t thought of that, I’ll have to work that one up. Jarvis, remember that one for the lab techs.” His face went serious as he watched Peggy smile and he nodded at the device in her hands. “I figured I’d give that to the one person who knows what she should do with it.”

Without another word to her he turned back around in his seat and started berating Jarvis again for trying to shoot him down over the city.

Peggy’s eyes welled up with tears as she looked at the contraption and she silently thanked Steve again for what he had done. She thanked Howard out loud through an emotion filled voice and he wasn’t sure how he should respond; it was always odd to him when he heard or saw Peggy crying.

He finally said, “Don’t mention it, pal.”

When they dropped her off in front of the apartment building she was currently staying in, courtesy of Howard, she half expected them to come up to escort her the door, maybe have a drink after all the excitement of the night. Howard got out of the car, but only to pull her into a hug and properly thank her for what she had done for him.

“I know I’m a complete jerk, Peg. I can’t help that…I know…it’ll be my undoing. But I’m grateful for friends like you, who keep me on the right course.” He gave her another grateful hug and she saw Jarvis get out of the car too.

She walked over to him and he bowed his head slightly, extending his hand out for a shake. Peggy smirked at his hand and pulled him in for a hug that at first, he was shocked to receive, but then gratefully returned.

“If I have to withstand these things, so should you, Mr. Jarvis.”

“Quite so, Miss Carter.”

She pulled back and smiled at him sincerely.

“Thank you for being so brave tonight, I know that was hard for you, but you don’t know how much I appreciate that you were at the ready to avert a disaster.”

“I will always be of service to you…and Mr. Stark, in any way I can.”

“That’s very much appreciated, Mr. Jarvis.”

Howard called out, “Except if that service is to shoot me out of the sky or shoot at me in general. Under no circumstances am I to be shot at,” he said, as he was getting back into the passenger seat.

Peggy smiled at Jarvis, “I don’t think you shall ever be able to live that one down.” She nodded towards Howard.

“Don’t worry about Mr. Stark, he’s putty in my hands,” Jarvis said, with a decidedly lascivious smile that had Peggy laughing. His face turned serious and he asked, “I wonder if you could do me a favor, Miss Carter?”

“What’s that, Mr. Jarvis?”

“I wonder if you would tell Miss Martinelli I said, ‘hi’,” he said, with an impish smile that had Peggy furrowing her brow.

Still puzzled she said, “I will, once I’m able to talk to her. But I promise, I will be calling out to her uncle’s house almost immediately after I get inside and I will definitely relay your hello.”

“Thank you, ever so much,” he smiled again.

She slapped his arm. “Softy,” she said, then laughed to herself as she walked towards the building.

Jarvis got back in the car and Howard said, “That reminds me, any chance you’d drop me by Antoinette Masterelli’s place? I suddenly had an urge to see her again.”

“I don’t even remember where she lives, sir,” Jarvis said, with an eyeroll.

“Oh, you remember, Jarvis! Up in the Bronx with her parents.”

“Why would you want to be dropped off to see her when her parents will be in the next room?”

“Jarvis, I’m wounded that you would think I would be doing anything _untoward_ with that woman. I’m merely paying a call to an old friend, nothing more.”

“As they say down in the Battery, sir: Merely payin’ a call, my mother’s patoot, ya lyin’ palooka.”

Howard laughed almost the whole way home. Jarvis had refused to drop him off in the Bronx sighting the need for Mr. Stark to get proper rest after that harrowing experience. Howard agreed and silently calculated that he could always pay a call on Antoinette the next night, when her parents would be at Bingo.

*****

Peggy couldn’t wait to get into the apartment to get to the phone and call Angie, she surmised that she should be over her hangover by now, or at least greatly on the mend and she wouldn’t be troubling her too much by talking to her and telling her she loved her for herself.

As she got off the elevator, she was sure she could hear some music, she quickly figured the staff must have been playing the radio while they were cleaning that morning and left it on. It was pleasant and she decided not to go turn it off straight away, she would secure Steve’s blood in the bureau she was currently using and then go turn it off when she went in the lounge to make her phone call.

When she was done securing the device in her green Army rucksack, a sudden chill went down the back of her neck and she took out her gun from holster that she had in the same bag. She walked cautiously to the room that was the source of the music and peered in. No movement inside and no one in sight on the chairs or sofas. Gun at the ready, she stalked into the room, making sure to check her periphery and behind her frequently, so as not to be surprised from any angle.

Peggy surmised quickly that Dottie must have been here before and figured Howard would be coming back that night. The Russian assassin would have planned to get her revenge on him, if she wasn’t passed out from all the blood loss she suffered earlier that night from her fall. Or maybe even just looking for a place to stay while she recovered.

Peggy caught some movement out of the corner of her eye and quickly trained her gun on the area.

“Peg! Don’t shoot! I was just getting a towel for some ice,” Angie stood there frightened, with her hands up like she was being arrested.

Peggy sighed relieved and lowered her gun.

“Angie, my darling,” she said, walking quickly to the still stunned woman and giving her a much needed hug. “I can’t believe you’re here, how did you-”

Angie relaxed and tightened her grip on Peggy, “Mr. Fancy relayed a message through that operator, Rose…she gave me this address and when my Uncle went to rehearsal, he dropped me off here. I couldn’t wait to see you.”

“I’m so glad,” Peggy said and pulled back looking into Angie’s eyes, she could see everything in those eyes. Love, devotion, forgiveness, contriteness, lust and just a bit of fright from a gun having been pointed at her just moments ago.

Angie looked at the black steel mass that was currently resting on her shoulder and smirked at Peggy. “What’s with the piece, Eliot Ness?”

Peggy looked sorry and removed her gun from Angie’s shoulder, she stashed it in the holster she placed at her back, just under the waistband of her pants.

“Sorry, I thought you might have been Dottie,” she said, smoothing out her jacket, then putting her arms around Angie and starting to lean in for a kiss. Angie put her hands on Peggy’s shoulders, stopping her from moving in closer and Peggy gave her a questioning look.

“You _have_ to explain that one before you get any action from me, English.”

Desperately wanting kiss Angie, Peggy summed the whole case up for her quickly, “She was part of a Russian plot to bring down Howard Stark. First, they stole his inventions and made it look like he was selling them on the black market. Then they blew up the Roxxon refinery, a pond in New Jersey, released a poison gas in a movie theater not far from our headquarters and just tonight, mind controlled Howard to try to get him to release that same deadly gas from his airplane over New York City.”

Angie suddenly regretted her request for an explanation.

“Your job is-”

“Interesting,” Peggy smiled, knowingly.

“I was going to say, terrifying. You’ll have to tell me more about it, though, I have to know as much as you can tell me. Even if it scares the ever-lovin’ bejeebus out of me.”

Peggy chuckled, “I will, I promise, dearest. Now, first things first…” she pulled her in for a kiss again, and this time Angie didn’t stop her. When she felt her tongue lick out at her lips, she let it slip inside and her heart beat harder in her chest. When air became an issue they broke apart and Peggy rested her forehead on Angie’s.

“I was so worried that I may have lost you,” Peggy whispered.

“I’m so sorry you thought that,” Angie said, trying to forget that she ever thought to give up on Peggy.

“Well, with me being arrested and you getting evicted from the Griffith, which by the way, I am most certainly going to give Miriam Fry a piece of my mind about, I figured maybe you thought I wasn’t worth the trouble.”

Angie pulled back and looked into Peggy’s eyes.

“I promise you; I do not now, nor ever in the future, think you’re not worth the trouble. But I definitely will be requesting some level of transparency in this relationship. I mean, I know you can’t give me all the details…but I also don’t want to be left out of that part of your life.”

“And I promise, we shall talk at length about that.”

“Tonight?”

“Yes, darling, I must admit, that while I’d love nothing more than to pull an all-night love session, I’m a little banged up at the moment.”

Angie put her hand on Peggy’s back, to help her to the sofa, and Peggy winced.

“What happened?”

“Noth-”

“Don’t you dare, Margaret Elizabeth Carter, you give me the details of all of your injuries, I have to know if we need to take you to the hospital.”

“I was just about to say, ‘nothing a little ice and some rest won’t cure’, Nurse Martinelli.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere, Agent Carter, but it won’t let you off the hook,” she said, as Peggy sat down gingerly, taking the gun and holster out of her waistband and setting it on the coffee table in front of her.

“I know, I know,” Peggy said.

“What happened tonight? Let’s just start there.”

“Just so you know…I have some questions of my own when we’re done,” Peggy said, narrowing her eyes at her.

“And I’ll answer each and every one truthfully, but if you don’t get to spilling, I’m going to-”

“Alright, alright, Judge, calm down. I don’t want to have to haul you downtown for threatening a federal agent,” Peggy winked and then sighed. “I need to back up a bit. So, Dottie, she was assisting this Russian agent, I can’t tell you much more about that, because it’s currently classified, but as you already know about Dottie, I’ll tell you that part of it. She was brought up in a school where they train girls to be assassins. Tonight, she was protecting this man who had mind-controlled Stark into thinking he was flying a plane over the arctic circle in order to find the plane that Captain America put down there last year.”

“Wow, that’s pretty heavy, he made him actually think that?”

“He’s very powerful with his persuasion, he can make you see things that aren’t there.”

“Crazy,” Angie said, shaking her head.

“So, I had a bit of a fight with Dottie, she took a baseball bat to me, in the back,” Peggy gestured with her thumb. “Getting in at least two good belts and I put myself right in front of her, as she brought the bat around to swing at my head, I ducked and then roundhouse kicked her out of the window in the office of the plane hangar.”

Angie’s eyes went wide, then she immediately changed it to a non-plussed look and said, “Sounds like a light day at the office to me, Peg,” shrugging and picking up a magazine off the coffee table.

Peggy laughed out loud and then groaned, the bruises from the hits she took were really starting to impede her movements and it hurt to breathe.

“Oh, poor baby, let me get you that ice. Take your jacket off,” Angie instructed. “I’ll be right back.” She said and took the ice bucket from where she had seen it on the drinks cabinet.

“I keep forgetting, you do know your medical stuff.”

“You bet your sweet patootie, sweetheart,” Angie said, with a wink as she walked quickly out of the room.

Peggy smiled widely, she loved when Angie took charge and got all cocky about her abilities, which in her opinion were vast and the cockiness deservedly earned.

When Angie got back, before she put the ice in the towel she had found earlier, Peggy asked, “Would you mind using some of that ice to pour me a bourbon on the rocks, dear?”

Angie smiled, “That light of a day, huh?”

“The lightest. But it’s not for my spirit, it’s just for the pain, that’s all, dearest,” Peggy wanted to make sure Angie knew that she didn’t need it to get drunk.

“I understand, honey,” Angie said, and took the stopper off of the bourbon bottle, she smelled it and blanched, her stomach lurching.

Peggy turned around carefully and looked at the look on Angie’s face, it was decidedly peaked.

“Going to join me in a drink, darling?” She asked, wickedly.

“Yes, babe, absolutely…in about…1974,” Angie narrowed her eyes at Peggy and poured her a double.

“Oh, only thirty-four years from now?”

“I did the math wrong, sorry, 1975.”

Peggy laughed and again, groaned at the pain she felt in her back and around her rib cage.

“Ooh, watch it there, Peg, God got ya.”

“Indeed, they did.”

“Which one, Zeus or Apollo?” Angie asked, coming around the sofa and handing Peggy her drink.

“I’ve always been partial to Gaia, myself,” Peggy said, with a wicked glint in her eye and accepting the drink. “Cheers, darling.” She saluted Angie with the drink and took a long sip. “Ooh, that’s good.” She breathed out. “One thing that, wanker, Stark knows is how to hire help that know how to pick good bourbon.”

Angie stared at her, slightly open mouthed at the look on Peggy’s face as she took another sip of her drink and sighed out. She was almost giving in to the seduction show that Peggy was putting on for her, even if she didn’t know it.

“I have had a thing for Aphrodite,” Angie said, trying to mentally shake some of their recent love making sessions out of her head.

Peggy took another long sip of the drink and let out another deep sigh.

“That’s it! Putting ice on your back now!” Angie said, a little too loud for Peggy to think anything but the fact that her seduction techniques were working.

“Was it something I said?” She asked innocently.

“Oh, hush,” Angie said, putting the ice on Peggy’s back and getting her to sit back against the sofa. “I couldn’t find an ice bag, so we’ll have to watch that the sofa doesn’t get too wet,” she said, as she sat next to Peggy.

Peggy chuckled, “There’s a contradiction in terms…”

“What terms?”

“Too wet…”

“Oh, for the love of…”

Peggy put her hand on Angie’s thigh and squeezed, “What, angel?” She asked, hoping she wasn’t getting to frustrated with her playful banter. She was quite enjoying it.

“You know what and I’m not falling for it.”

“Much,” Peggy said, with a sinister smile on her face.

“Okay, maybe just a little, but we’re not going to bed tonight without some more of the flapping of your gums.”

“Where was I?” Peggy definitely didn’t want to not be able to spend some quality bed time with Angie.

“Dottie took a swan dive out of the window…but where did she land?”

“Based on the pool of blood, I would say she landed on the airplane wing that was next to the window, about two stories down.”

“What is she some kinda superwoman? Like…” Angie trailed off and Peggy immediately knew who she meant.

“No, Steve was the only one to get that serum, the doctor who invented it was shot and killed in front of me,” she said, remembering that day. She put her drink in her lap and held it with both hands as she stared into it.

“I’m sorry, honey,” Angie said, sincerely.

Peggy lifted her head and looked into Angie’s eyes.

“Thank you,” she said, and leaned in for a quick kiss, which Angie didn’t hesitate to give. “Dr. Erskine was a dear man and I was glad I was able to rescue him, if not ultimately protect his life afterwards.”

Angie sighed, Peggy had a lot of death in her young life and that was something that she understood, she felt a wave of shame wash over her, ashamed to ever think of leaving Peggy for her own good. She knew now that she was scared to deal with what was coming down the pike and she knew she had to come clean sooner or later.

Angie put a comforting hand on Peggy’s arm and squeezed, letting her know she was there for her. In turn, Peggy put an arm around Angie’s shoulders and brought her in closer, even though it hurt to do so, she took a sip of the bourbon, hoping it would help ease the pain soon.

After she was finished with the sip she asked, “Why did you get so drunk last night, dearest?”

‘I guess sooner it is,’ Angie thought, then said, “I’ll tell you, but you have to promise me that you won’t get mad.”

“Oh, dear,” Peggy said, a little worried. “Do I really not want to know?” She asked and tried to take her arm from around Angie, but she was stopped from doing so, and made to keep her arm where it was.

“It’s nothing except my own scared mind, Peg. It was working against me yesterday and then I thought I was drinking because I had decided something that was good, but really, I realized I was scared and trying to block out my fright.”

“About what?”

“About maybe waking up one day and you not being there. Either, because you got killed or you didn’t love me anymore.”

“But-”

“Hear me out here, Peg. You’re not just a person that works for the phone company, I know that now. You’re a really important person and I’m extremely proud of that, I just don’t want anyone using your relationship with me as a way to get to you. You know? To push you down, to keep you down and I felt maybe that if I let you go, it would be for your own good.”

Peggy drew in a sharp breath and tried not to wince from the pain.

Angie continued, “I don’t feel that way now though, I mean, yeah, I’m worried about you and what the future holds, but I’d rather be helping you navigate through that, if you’ll let me, then letting you go off with someone else.”

“I’m glad,” Peggy said, after a few moments of silence. She looked at Angie and smiled sincerely. “Though, I would have not let you give me up without a fight you know…”

Angie chuckled, “Now that I hear about how powerful your kicks are, I don’t doubt that.”

“I’m not an abuser though,” Peggy said, making it clear that she couldn’t stomach people who abused other people.

“I know, English, you’re probably just a biter.”

Peggy showed her teeth and winked at Angie, her thoughts going immediately to how it felt to bite down on her nipple and draw out the aftershocks in her womanhood. She had to close her eyes and take a deep breath to will that thought out of her head, now was not the time to be thinking that. They were seriously talking about how Angie felt about their relationship and she had to pay attention. She put the drink on the coffee table.

Angie rearranged the towel with ice and Peggy sat back against it to hold it in place.

“Just a few minutes more, Peg, and then we’ll let your skin have a break from the cold.”

“It’s okay, I could use a bit of cooling off,” she smiled at Angie.

“You too? I thought it was just me. Every time you took a sip of that drink and breathed out, I wanted to jump you,” she looked a little guilty after saying that.

Peggy laughed, “I guess we’re still in that ‘honeymoon’ phase.”

“ _Pre_ , sister, I still don’t have a ring on this finger,” she smoothed over her ring finger with her thumb, showing Peggy how bare it was.  
“Yes, well…”

“I’m kiddin’ you, English, don’t go getting all worried, we’ll take this one day at a time.”

“Please don’t think that I’m afraid of commitment, Angie. I, do, however like your one day at a time approach. I’d like us to let our relationship progress naturally.” 

“The problem is…most people think it’s _un_ natural,” Angie said, a little bitterly. “And that’s one of the things that scared me.”

Peggy smiled sympathetically at her, “We’re not most people though, are we?”

Angie laughed, “No, we’re not.”

Peggy leaned in for another heart-stopping kiss, if there were anything unnatural about their love, she might believe them if every time she kissed Angie it didn’t feel so natural and so damned good. If whatever created the universe, didn’t want their love to be a thing, they surely would have made it feel wrong, she reasoned.

Peggy said, a little out of breath when the kiss ended, “Now, I didn’t want to do that to take your mind off of our discussion, sweetheart, I just wanted to make sure you knew how much I’ve missed you.”

Angie had to focus for a moment, her brain was still firing off major love synapses. The words Peggy were saying finally connected with her ears.

“I missed you so much too, I’m pretty sure that’s one of the reasons I got drunk last night, I really didn’t want to face that bed without you.” She suddenly became concerned. “You didn’t have to sleep in a cell, did you?”

“No, thankfully, I slept here last night.”

“Good,” Angie looked around the room. “So, this is one of Stark’s places, huh? Pretty fancy.”

“It’s very nice,” Peggy looked at Angie as she said that.

“Just so you’re aware, I’ve put my suitcase in the room you’re staying in. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Quite the opposite, if you didn’t put your things in that room, I would really start to worry.”

Angie smiled at her. “Oh, and I also brought some of your work clothes that you had at my apartment back at the Griffith.” She brightened as she remembered something, but she’d give that to Peggy later.

“Thank you, darling, I only had the suit with me, I was wondering where my other things had gotten.”

“I don’t have all of it, so I’m guessing the SSR hasn’t released all of them.”

“I’ll have to ask about that sometime, I’m not technically an agent anymore. So tomorrow…” she waggled her eyebrows at Angie.

“Tomorrow, when you’re at work, you’ll ask about the rest of your things.”

“But, darling, I just told you, I’m technically not an agent anymore, so I don’t have to go in tomorrow.”

“What is tomorrow?”

“Friday, why?”

“Payday,” Angie corrected. “You go in there, you get your check and you make them beg you to take your job back. Capisce?”

“Io capisco,” Peggy said, dutifully.

“Good, now, let me take that towel off your back, the ice must be melted by now. You go in that room and change into something more comfortable, I’ll go deal with this,” she said, as she folded the towel on itself and held it out from her body, making sure not to drip on the carpet or wood floor.

“Yes, ma’am,” Peggy saluted.

She went into the room and changed into her lounging clothes, putting on her robe over it. As she was doing so, she looked at the wardrobe that Howard had the sexy clothes in. She wondered when she would get the nerve to ask Angie to dress up in one of them. _If_ , she would ever get the nerve to ask. She had half a mind to wear one of them herself, and surprise Angie with it when she took off her robe to go to bed. Cracking open the door to the wardrobe, she looked at one of them. No, that one wouldn’t do, the back was too low to hide any of her bruises and she decided against it.

“Oh good, you’re all decent,” Angie said, with mischief in her voice.

Peggy jumped and closed the door to the wardrobe quickly, thankfully Angie hadn’t seemed to notice, she was starting to take her own clothes off.

“Not completely,” she said, nonchalantly, “I think many of the southern states of America would consider me decidedly, indecent.”

“Tease,” Angie said. “Go relax on the sofa, with your drink, I’m going to get _positively_ indecent in here and I don’t want to give you any ideas. We are talking tonight and that’s final.”

Peggy sighed deeply and pouted, “If I must,” she said, as she shuffled out of the door to go nurse her drink.

She saw Angie had freshened it for her and smiled.

“Try to let me go for my own good, will she?” Peggy mumbled as she picked up her glass and held it up to the wall. “When all she has _ever_ _been_ is good for me,” she said, as she spotted a picture of the Howling Commandos, holding her glass up higher, she toasted them, “Dum Dum, this one is for you, mate. It’s the bourbon you wish you had.” She nodded and tipped the glass up taking a long slow sip. It felt good going down, very smooth indeed.

This was the last glass she’d have of it tonight, she told herself. Angie’s suggestion, well, declaration that she should go to work tomorrow meant that she was going to go in early, so she could get off early, so she’d need to keep her head about her. She didn’t want a repeat of what happened when she went to Daisy Clover. Though, the prospect of throwing up all over Jack Thompson’s shoes did have some appeal to her.

Just then, the phone rang and she was puzzled as to who would be calling, she got up quickly when she realized it could be Dottie, calling to speak to Howard.

“Stark Residence…”She said, as though she were the help.

“Peg? Is that you?

“Yes, H-Howard? Is that you?”

“Great, I’m glad I caught you before you went to bed.”

“It’s awfully loud there, Howard, I can hardly hear you. Where are you calling from?”

“I’m calling from-Get out!” He shouted at someone and Peggy could have sworn she heard Jarvis in the background singing.

“Howard, are you calling from a bar?”

“Yeah, hang on a moment, Peg, don’t hang up though! Jarvis, get out of the booth and let me tell her.”

“Miss Carter! Hi!” Jarvis sounded as drunk as a skunk.

“Jarvis, I’m telling you for the last time, if you don’t get out of here and if you spoil this for me, I will fire you and replace you with a robot! Just give me a minute, buddy, huh? Yeah, go see Francis, he’ll fix you another gin and tonic. That’s right.”

“Howard, are you getting Mr. Jarvis stoned?”

“He’s getting as high as a kite and loving it. Don’t you worry, Peg, all is well in hand.”

“Did you need something?”

“No, no, but Jarvis and I got to talking about what _you_ might be in need of…”

Peggy narrowed her eyes, “Howard, I swear to you, I will cut it off and mail it to your mother if you’re about to say what I think you’re about to say…”

“What?! No! Nothing like that, jeez Louise, Peg, take it down a notch or two! No, I was just saying that Jarvis told me about your friend, Angie, is it? She’s the one that called me and told me that you and Jarvis needed help. He told me Miriam had the nerve to evict her yesterday and I wanted to help the both of you for saving my life, and my business from certain ruin.

When he told her his plan, she smiled gratefully.

“You sure there’s no catch to it?” She asked, not in any mood for games.

“Not one,” Howard said, sincerely. “Just that you and she have a great time in it and let me come over for dinner and charades sometimes.”

Peggy smiled, “You play charades?”

“On occasion, I am known to _charade_ with the best of them,” he smiled into the phone. “I really owe you one, Pal, and this will help to repay that debt.”

“Well, I’ve got to talk it over with Angie, but I’m sure she’ll be amenable. We’ll have to see it first. Although, why not just have us live here?”

“No, I’ve got a place that I think would suit you both better. I’ll have Jarvis meet you where you are now at around five tomorrow, sound good?”

“That’d be perfect,” Peggy said and smiled as Angie came back into the room, dressed in her robe. She looked quizzically at Peggy who mouthed “Howard” to her. “Yes, wonderful. We’ll see him then, good night. What?” She listened a few moments and became contrite. “I’m sorry, Howard, I thought I knew what you were going to say, and you have no idea how many men have said that to me in the last two weeks, I just snapped. I apologize. Okay, give Mr. Jarvis my best. Cheers. Ta!”

She quickly hung up the phone.

“Whew, was he drunk?”

“A little, but not as drunk as Jarvis, I’m afraid.”

“What did he want?”

“As a matter of fact, he offered us a place to live,” Peggy was still trying to wrap her head around it.

“A place, like to…ourselves?”

“From the sounds of it…”

“Oh, wow, really?”

“Mmhmm,” Peggy was thinking of the possibilities, no rooms around theirs occupied by other people, they could get as loud as they wanted with their lovemaking.

“Really?” Angie was just as shocked.

“Yes, really, darling,” Peggy broke from her reverie and smiled at Angie. “Jarvis is going to meet us here at around five pm tomorrow. He’ll pick us up in his motor and take us to see it.”

Angie went over to check the time on Peggy’s watch, she smiled as she saw it was still the one she had given her a few days ago.

“Got a hot date?” Peggy asked, mischievously.

“Yeah, she’s gonna pick me up in about an hour and take me into that room across the hall there.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, really, as soon as she gets to telling me her story,” she quirked an eyebrow at Peggy who blew her a kiss. “Actually, I was checking the time, if they stop drinking now, Mr. Fancy _might_ be able to be alright by the time five o’clock rolls around.”

“Oh, good point.”

“So, spill, sister,” Angie remembered what her Aunt Freddy said and poked Peggy in the shoulder just like he had done to her the night before.

Peggy leaned forward and picked up her glass again, taking another long sip.

Angie narrowed her eyes at her.

“Liquid courage,” Peggy said, when she was done with her drink for the moment. “Where-”

“Dottie, fell out of the plane hangar. She was trained by the Russians to be an assassin.” Angie answered automatically, not even waiting for Peggy to finish her question.

“Right, thank you,” Peggy took another long sip and it looked so good that Angie got up to look at the other liquor Howard had in the cabinet. When she spotted the peppermint schnapps Angie smiled widely.

“Maybe I can have just a little bit…” She pulled the stopper off the bottle and gave it a sniff. Peggy laughed as Angie’s face immediately became as green as the bottle. “Oop, nope, not ready.” She stoppered the bottle and put it back in its place. She picked up the bottle of bourbon, “You want a top up, Peg?”

Peggy nodded to her glass, “No, I’m fine, darling, I’ll just finish what I have here and that’ll do me just fine.”

Angie smiled, proud of her for not wanting to get drunk.

“So, Dottie moved into our building, to presumably spy on me. She had already stolen Howard’s inventions by then and gave them to someone to sell them on the black market, then when Jarvis and I found them, she killed my fellow agent, Ray Krezminski.”

“Was that the guy you told me about, who died on the job?”

Peggy nodded, sadly. “He was the poorest excuse for a man, but no one deserves to be assassinated, especially not in the back by a coward.”

Angie nodded sympathetically.

“Then, they tried to strong arm Jarvis, by hauling him down to headquarters and threatening his wife with deportation, I didn’t know what to do, so I did the only thing I could, the Chief had purposely mislaid the file on Jarvis, that would put him in the clear, but I picked it up, surreptitiously and then brought it in to the Chief while he was questioning Jarvis, causing the Chief to bawl me out in front of the whole department.”

“Jerk,” Angie said and Peggy quickly laid a hand on her leg, patting it.

“Don’t speak ill of him, dearest, he was just doing his job, he though Howard was a traitor and he wouldn’t have had Ana Jarvis deported, he was just using an old interrogation technique.”

“He’s still a jerk to yell at you like that in front of everyone.”

“I appreciate that, sweetheart. But Roger Dooley made the ultimate sacrifice the day before yesterday and we shouldn’t speak ill of him. At least not for ten years.”

“Oh, Peg, really? I’m sorry,” Angie tried not to let the fright over Peggy’s job show on her face.

“You’re fine, I’m used to it. Besides, the Chief didn’t really discriminate when it came to who he screamed at, the men got it just as bad as I did, sometimes worse.”

“How did they come to arrest you?”

“They thought it would smoke Howard out from wherever he was, but Jarvis said he couldn’t be reached.”

“Yeah, he has some sort of contraption that lets you know what number is calling. I had to say that I was someone else that I thought he might know, that’s how I got through.”

“Clever girl,” Peggy said, proud. “You got him to come down and turn himself in to the SSR, something I couldn’t do for more than a month.”

“I have my ways,” Angie smirked at her.

“Don’t I know it,” Peggy returned the smirk.

“Focus, English.”

“Right, so one of the men in my department, Agent Sousa, whom I was closest with in the office, started doing his own investigation into who this mysterious woman was that kept showing up to places always ten steps ahead of the SSR. It took him about as long as I’ve been coming into the L&L before he was able to put two and two together and figure out that the mysterious woman was me. However, I wasn’t the one causing the havoc they thought I was, that was Dottie. She’d come in behind me and kill the people I had only incapacitated. Besides Krezminski of course, him I didn’t even see at the scene of where Howard’s weapons were stashed, we were already gone from there when she came along.”

“Wait a minute,” Angie said remembering something. “That was the night before you came in and apologized for throwing me out of your place.”

“Dearheart, I didn’t throw you out…”

“Showed me the door? Is that better?”

“Much,” Peggy said, with a laugh.

“Oh, Peggy, I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t know, I thought you just thought of me like as like a pest or something.”

“I know, and I wanted nothing more than to stay and break open the schnapps and eat the pie with you.”

Angie’s eyes narrowed when Peggy said, ‘Eat the pie.’ She wanted to make a lewd comment that would have Peggy blushing, but she knew they needed to get through this, because it already was helping her realize why Peggy acted the way she did sometimes.

Peggy continued, “I can see you were about to say something licentious there, and I thank you for waiting until we get in the bedroom.” She smiled at Angie before continuing with her story. “I had my black coveralls on underneath my robe and I had to meet Jarvis at Howard’s to go down into the sewers.”

“Ew,” Angie made a face.

“They’re not that bad once you get to know them,” Peggy shrugged.

“The rats?”

“Oh, no, the sewers,” Peggy shivered at the rats. “You know, I just realized, I should have made my break through the sewers after I left your apartment the day I was arrested…”

Angie could tell she was still beating herself up about that, like she herself had been, “No dwelling on the past, English.”

“Yes, well, next time…”

Angie snorted.

Peggy continued, “So, I was being implicated, Howard was nowhere to be found. By the way, how did you get the number where Howard was, exactly?”

“Ma,” Angie said, hoping Peggy wouldn’t have to report that to anyone.

“Your mother?” Peggy was both shocked and not somehow.

Angie nodded, “She called her cousin at the SSR, well, at the insurance agency down in Chinatown.” She winked. “He gave her the number Stark would most likely be at and then she gave it to me. You know the rest.”

“Your family simply amazes me, Angie.”

“Me too, just you wait, you haven’t met my Aunt yet.”

“The one that’s with your Uncle Bobby? Him?”

“Yes, Aunt Freddy.”

“The one I’m going to bawl out for letting you get arse over tit last night?”

Angie looked puzzled at Peggy, “Arse over…ohhhh I gotcha. I think the correct terminology would be ‘shit-faced’, because that’s what I got for sure. Barked at the porcelain altar for like an hour this morning.”

Peggy shook her head at her.

“Carla and my Uncle Bobby set me straight, though, they took good care of me. Freddy was just as dead as I was.”

“Carla is such a dear, isn’t she? As is your Uncle Bobby.”

“I hear that from a lot of people, lemme tell ya. Oh, remind me to ask you something later. Keep going, though, you’re doing real good, Peg.”

“Thank you,” Peggy said, curious about what Angie had to ask, but she was thankful that she was letting her continue. “So, Jarvis came in with that confession, that I now know was written in your car as _you_ drove him to SSR headquarters,” Peggy quirked an eyebrow at Angie, who just shrugged.

“You wanted him to _walk_ as he wrote it?” Angie asked, nonplussed.

“We’ll talk about not getting involved in federal investigations, later, darling.”

“As long as we also talk later about how you and my brother Pat knew each other, it’s okay with me, sweetpea.”

Peggy knew she was in hot water about that and was immediately contrite, “Oh, dear, sweet Angie, I’m so sorry about that. I told your mother and she did tell me to tell you about him, but I felt if I did, you’d straight away know about my job and at that moment I wasn’t ready to tell you. I’m very sorry,” Peggy lifted Angie’s hand to her mouth and kissed the back of her hand. “I’m so sorry.”

Angie’s heart melted at Peggy’s sincere gesture of apology and she put her hand on her head, lightly.

Peggy lifted her eyes to Angie, “He was a great guy, your brother, Pat. I knew him as John Colombo. He was undercover for General Montgomery’s 8th Army as they made their push into Italy and the Battle of Anzio.”

Angie looked sadly at that.

Peggy continued, “I didn’t know he was undercover, but he was such a funny man and a great confidante. Always ready to lift your spirits, even when you didn’t want them lifted. He saved my relationship with Steve more than once. Even though, if he’d had his druthers, he would have gladly watched me kick Steve out of my life so that he and I could be together.”

Angie nodded, smiling, the sadness still in her eyes.

Peggy said, “I have to say, you look nothing like him, sweetheart, besides the comedy and genuine great personality, I would never have guessed you were his sister.”

“I have my mother’s mother’s coloring, her father was from the North of Italy, he had blond hair and blue eyes.”

“Ah, I see,” Peggy said, squeezing the hand that was still in hers. “I would never have kept it from you for so long, except that every opportunity I had got derailed, and then it stretched on for so long I worried about you getting mad that I hadn’t already told you…”

“I get ya, Peg. Really, don’t worry, I’m just glad I know that he helped you all those years ago in Italy and that you two really knew each other.”

Peggy smiled, “We did and I…I feel like he led me to you somehow.”

Angie’s eyes welled up with tears and a lump formed in her throat. “What a sweet thing to say,” Angie leaned in for a grateful and loving kiss.

After the kiss ended Peggy said, sincerely, “I’ve lost a lot of people in my life, Angie. I tried to keep you at arm’s length, but I failed miserably and I’ve never been more grateful at failing something in my entire life.”

“Me neither,” Angie smiled at her, with the same sincerity. “You know, I told you I met Steve in Passaic, right?”

“Yes, you told me, at a USO show.”

“I was seventeen and Aunt Freddy and Uncle Bobby took me for my birthday. I just loved how he came from Brooklyn, how he was scrawny and then became like a God, it’s something I wanted to do in my life. Ya know, because I so wanted to play baseball professionally. I thought maybe it could cure my elbow…”

“Probably could have,” Peggy thought briefly of letting Howard have the blood back to see if it could cure Angie’s arm.

“Nah, someday I’m gonna have the surgery I need to fix it. I just don’t want to go under the knife when it’s not really been a problem for me.”

“I hate hospitals and doctors too,” Peggy said with a knowing smile.

“What if down the road I want to become one?” Angie said, narrowing her eyes.

“Then you will be the only doctor I love,” Peggy said, without having to think about it and smiled at Angie.

“Good answer,” Angie smiled.

“I thought so,” Peggy said.

Angie waited a few moments, deciding something before speaking, “I have something of yours that the SSR must have dropped at your apartment,” she got up and went into the room that she would be sharing with Peggy.

She brought the picture she had brought with her from the Griffith and Peggy looked at Steve’s picture, the one she had taken from his file back at the office. She looked up at Angie and smiled, “You’ve had it framed.”

“It was at my Uncle’s house, the picture in it wasn’t anything they really needed to frame and I asked him if I could have it. If you don’t like it, you can change it. I just felt it should be a picture that was protected,” Angie laughed, “I had to smuggle it out of your room under my blouse.”

“You say they left it behind?”

“I went in your room because I had found your key in Dottie’s room. I didn’t exactly know it was your key, but ya know, I knew…” She narrowed her eyes.

“Where was she?”

“Oh, I haven’t even told you all that yet…but we’ll get to that.” She indicated towards Steve’s picture. “Now you can take him wherever you want and he won’t get creased.”

“Thank you for this, Angie, it’s my favorite picture of him, I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost it.”

Peggy looked a few more moments at Steve’s picture and felt a rush of love, for him and for the woman next to her, who was always looking out for her. She put Steve’s picture on the coffee table and regarded it a few more moments and reached out to Angie to take her hands.

“I really, cannot thank you enough, Angie. For everything you’ve done for me…”

“That sounds like a parting speech,” Angie was half joking, she started to get nervous.

“ _Will_ do for me,” Peggy added, with a smile. “ _Are_ doing for me.”

“It’s this thing that I like to call ‘love’, it makes you do things for people,” Angie said, with a smirk.

“And for that, I’m most thankful. Your love,” Peggy said, returning the smile. “Even though I feel like I don’t deserve it at times,” she added, getting some of her darkest thoughts out in the open.

“That’s where you’re wrong, Peg, you deserve that and a whole lot more. Millions of people in this city owe their lives to you tonight, and most of them will never know it. That person deserves more than the love of little ol’ Angie Martinelli…”

“Nonsense,” Peggy protested. “It’s probably all that person needs. Whoever she may be,” she winked.

Angie leaned in for another kiss, this time it was a long, slow, thankful kiss that ended when she pulled back abruptly, waiting for Peggy to open her eyes.

“What?”

“I’m sitting in the wet part of the sofa,” Angie said with a frown. “Why didn’t you say it had gotten wet?”

Peggy shrugged, “I guess I hadn’t noticed, my skin had gone numb from the cold. Sorry.”

“It’s okay, English, it’ll dry,” Angie said, with a shiver.

“So, what happened at the Griffith? I can’t wait to hear what excuse Miriam gave to kick you out.”

“Oh, yeah, so she called a meeting and I noticed Dottie wasn’t downstairs, so ya know, usually she has me go back up and check on everyone, I went up to her room and noticed the door was cracked…well, no, I called to her and then tried the knob when she didn’t answer. Everything she had was gone, then I noticed a key on the counter, so I got curious. I took it to your room and it opened it. That’s when I looked around there and noticed between the wall and the bed, Steve’s picture had slipped down.”

Peggy nodded, remembering she had put it there to hide that she had it.

“So, then I put it in my blouse and go back down, ‘cause they’re all waiting on me. And Miriam starts her speech and then the next thing I know, she’s looking at me and saying that the SSR might not have charged me for lying to a federal agent, but that she couldn’t take someone who lies living under her roof.”

Peggy shook her head, her blood pressure started to rise.

Angie continued, “I told her she must have been okay with having a thief live there, though, and tossed your key back at her. I said since I already paid for your key, for her to give the money to Lorraine and we’d be square,” she looked at Peggy and explained. “Lorraine told me you borrowed ten from her, which I’m guessing is the mysterious ten that showed up in my wallet that morning.”

Peggy smirked and looked down at her hands, “It was,” she said, sheepishly. “I was going to go to the bank and pay her back that day, if I hadn’t gotten arrested…”

“No worries, honey, it all worked out.”

“But that… _bitch_ , excuse my French, kicked you out and for that-”

“For that nothing, she did me a favor, I’m with you here now, no?”

“Yes, but-”

“But nothing, we don’t need that negativity in our lives, we’ll let that go, unless we hear she’s treating some of our friends badly, then you and I will march up to her and let her have it.”

Peggy sighed, “You always are steering me towards the side of the good and righteous.”

“Someday they may erect a statue of me in this city,” she laughed after she said that, it was a quote from the Wizard of Oz.

“I will sculpt one…” Peggy said, sincerely. She became concerned when Angie’s face looked worried. “What is it, dearest? Did you forget something?”

Angie nodded, “Carol and Vera know about us…”

“They do, how? Did you tell them?” Peggy asked, not really concerned, but proud that Angie would have considered telling them.

Angie shook her head slowly, “Apparently, we weren’t as quiet as we thought we were being…during…ya know,” her eyes went wide to will Peggy to understand without having to say it.

“Oh, dear,” Peggy said, finally understanding how they must have figured it out. She blushed a deep red and smiled.

“You’ll love this one, I tried to play all innocent and say that nothing was going on, and they said they knew some hanky panky was going on, either that, or I had changed my name to ‘Oh, Angie!’ and you had changed yours to ‘Jesus, Peggy!’”

Peggy laughed loudly at that and couldn’t stop for a few moments. Angie joined her in laughter because it had been really funny when Carol said it, but she had been too ashamed to laugh then.

Peggy gathered herself, “We should change our names to that, just to confuse them,” she laughed for a few moments more. “Oh, dear, that was a good one. So, they were okay with it?”

Angie nodded, “More than okay, they were really sweet about it. They said Lorraine was pretty oblivious, but Dottie took a real interest in us, and now we know why,” she said, and reached out for Peggy’s hand. “She was going to kill you, wasn’t she?”

Peggy looked in Angie’s eyes, her first instinct was to lie, but she stuffed that back down to where it belonged and nodded.

“That was a directive she had gotten, but only when I was already in custody. I think her mission at the Griffith was to just keep tabs on me and follow me where I went so they would know what I had uncovered and what they were going to feed me as lies to steer me in the direction they wanted,” Peggy stopped and went quiet for a few moments while she thought of that. She really hadn’t had much time to decompress after the whole business.

Angie put a calming hand on her arm, letting her know she was there for her. Peggy turned her head and gave her a grateful smile.

Peggy continued her story, “I got the Chief to let me go to Russia, to meet the Howling Commandos there. We uncovered a training facility where they train girls like Dottie to be assassins, that can infiltrate America and Europe to create political turmoil and upheaval. They are truly frightening. A girl who couldn’t have been more than twelve, killed Juno Juniper whilst we were there.”

“Oh, Peg,” Angie said, sympathetically. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I really need to bring that facility down and make sure there are no others like it left anywhere in the world.”

“I know you will be the one to do that, honey,” Angie said, truthfully and squeezed Peggy’s arm.

“I will, if it’s the last thing I do on this earth.”

“No, you’re gonna live a very long life, I’m going to see to that personally and you’ll stop the program…oh, next year at the latest?”

Peggy chuckled at Angie’s confidence in how her life and work would go in the future, but then the look turned sad.

“Death is…it’s a way of life in my business, Angie.”

Angie nodded, understandingly, “I know that, Peg, but I just have this feeling, you’re gonna live a long life, don’t ask me how I know that, but when I get a feeling, it’s usually right, so just go with it, okay?”

“Dearheart, it’s not me I’m worried about, actually…” she trailed off as she let Angie take that in for a few moments. “I want to tell you why I resisted moving in with you for so long.”

“Okay…”

“If I had my way, when you asked me what I wanted on my sandwiches that first day we really talked at the L&L I would have said, ‘You in my bed, night after night.’”

Angie gasped and laughed at that wanton admission from Peggy, “Margaret Elizabeth Carter!” She scolded.

Peggy shrugged, “It’s how I felt, I was immediately drawn to you and my heart practically beat out of its chest every time you smiled at me.”

Angie nodded her head; it had been the same for her.

“But…I had had a roommate at the time, in fact, we shared a bed, though it was completely platonic and that wouldn’t have been logistically possible. Anyway, during my investigation into Howard’s stolen inventions, someone, a man, followed me back to our flat to kill me, Colleen had been ill that morning, so she was in bed all day, he shot at me…and the bullet caught her in the head. I didn’t know until I went over to her, to see how she was after he had fled and she was already dead…”

Peggy stopped as the flood of emotions took over her senses and she cried like she had when she saw Colleen that night.

“She was so beautiful, so sweet, so young…her only fault was being my roommate,” Peggy’s voice broke even more at the end of that sentence.

Angie put her arm around Peggy, bringing her into a hug and whispering comforting words to her.

“It wasn’t your fault, sweetheart, you didn’t know that was going to happen.”

“But… _I_ should have known and I should have told her what I did for a living. She could have made her choice whether or not to have me as a roommate, she offered it so willingly, she could have-”

“Peggy, you’re right, you should have been honest with her, but you probably thought by not being honest you were protecting her, am I right?”

“Yes, that’s exactly right.”

“Well, you can’t go back and undo what’s done, that’s not possible. I should know, I’ve been carrying guilt like that for almost five years now. Someone once told me that I shouldn’t be harboring guilt like that…they were pretty wise.”

Peggy smiled sadly as she remembered what she had said to Angie after she told her what happened to her boyfriend Jack, the night of their formal.

“I meant it…but-”

“No buts, honey, we have to move on at some point. That’s still fresh and it’s going to sting for a while, but you didn’t pull the trigger. However, I will say this, because if I don’t I’ll never be able to live with myself…”

“What’s that, dear?”

“You ever, I mean _ever_ lie to me again about your job and you’ll not only have Dottie to worry about, you’ll have me chasing your tail all over the globe.”

“I don’t doubt that, but what am I going to do about Dottie?”

“Why is she your problem alone? You have other people that work down at that place, don’t you?”

“I feel like I need to make sure I can find her as soon as possible, seems like she’s hell bent on getting some kind of revenge on me, even though I didn’t know her at all before she moved into the Griffith.”

“Oh, she’s one of those, huh?”

“One of what?”

“The ‘my life was hell and I want yours to be hell too just for kicks’?”

“That’s about the size of it,” Peggy said, furrowing her brow.

“So that settles it, you’ll just have to teach me how to defend myself, and what to look out for when I’m by myself.”

“I might never let you go out alone again though, dearest.”

Angie smiled and shook her head, “You’re incorrigible.”

Peggy nodded in the affirmative, “You think I’m joking; I was never more serious in my life.”

“Well, that does bring something to mind…”

“What’s that?”

“I wanted to ask you, now, I know it’s not really my place and all, but if there’s enough room, do you think Carla and her mother can come live with us?”

“Are you sure?”

“I’d like it, they’re really sweet people and it would be nice if I could do something nice for her. In fact, I want her to go to secretary school in my place. That way, they don’t have to pay room and board, and she can get a better paying job quickly. She doesn’t deserve to be working for that cuckoots, Mal for the rest of her life.”

“But then that would mean we’d have to be quiet at night, dearest, and from the knowledge of what happened at the Griffith…”

“We get old Howie to soundproof our room,” Angie shrugged. “I’d get my dad to do it, but I don’t want him asking why.”

“Quite right,” Peggy nodded quickly. “Actually, I bet they’re all soundproofed already, knowing Howard.”

Angie smiled at her, mischievously, “We can test that out tonight…”

Peggy smiled and shook her head.

“Not if you’re making me go to work tomorrow, I’ll have to go in early.”

“Why?”

“To get off early and go with you to see the new place, remember?”

“Well, we don’t have to pull an all-nighter, just like you said earlier, ya know?”

Peggy swayed sassily before answering, “I might want to,” she said, and pursed her lips.

“Yeah, well, on your head be it, you won’t get any complaints from me. I’m going into the L&L late and I’m not working a full shift.”  
“Aren’t _we_ lucky?” Peggy asked.

“Yes, but _we_ aren’t stupid either.”

“What, darling?”

“You still haven’t promised not to lie to me about your work.”

Peggy sighed and looked sincerely into Angie’s eyes.

“I promise, I will never lie to you about my work, but I also can’t tell you everything and on that you must trust me.”

“What sort of things?”

Peggy laughed, “If I can’t tell you them, how am I going to tell you them?”

“Well, what about old cases, things that wouldn’t matter now if you told them to me?”

Peggy thought about that for a few moments, there were few things the SSR weren’t working on anymore, but she did remember one file that was marked closed.

“I’ll be right back, darling,” Peggy said, and got up from her spot on the sofa. “I’ve got something to show you.”

“Well, all right then,” Angie said, smugly as she waited patiently for Peggy to come back.

She came into the lounge with the last thing Angie would have thought she’d come back with.

“Here,” Peggy said, handing it to Angie. “Now just be careful with it, no throwing curve balls.”

Angie looked at it, puzzled, “Is it a lighter?"

“It houses something very precious and it’s the only one of its kind left.”

“There’s not gonna be like some alien life form in here, is there?”

Peggy shook her head, and pushed the button, holding Angie’s hands around it so she didn’t get scared and drop it when it popped open.

Angie narrowed her eyes even more as she looked at it, “I’d say that was a vial of blood.”

Peggy smiled sadly at it and nodded, “Steve’s blood.”

Angie’s eyes softened and she looked at the vial reverently, “Wow…”

“Mmhmm,” Peggy said, grateful for the look of respect on Angie’s face. “It’s the last one and I’m going to help him get to his final resting place.”

“You mean like bury it?”

“I can’t let it fall into the wrong hands,” Peggy said. “There were many of these and they were all squandered, trying to recreate the serum that turned Steve into Captain America, but it didn’t turn him into who he was already: A very honorable and brave man. And that, they can never recreate.”

Angie nodded understandingly as she continued to look at the vial, for some reason it was causing her to be emotional and a tear slipped from her eye. She felt a sense of duty to protect his legacy, right along with Peggy and also a sense of pride that he was from Brooklyn, her hometown.

“Oh, dearest, you’re crying, I didn’t mean to make you cry, sweetheart. I just wanted to share that with you and ask for your opinion.”

Angie put the vial back in its protective case and handed it back to Peggy. “It’s okay, Peg, I just got a little emotional, remembering when I met him and thinking of how he’s from Brooklyn and all, he must have known Pat too,” she said, as she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Oh, dear, hang on, let me go put this back and I’ll get a hanky.”

Angie smiled as she saw Peggy scramble to go get her something to wipe her eyes. She felt very lucky to be with this woman and any fright she should feel about what she told her about Colleen and any other of the deaths in Peggy’s job, simply wasn’t there. It wasn’t that she was being naïve, it was more like she thought it as an occupational hazard. Like the one her father’s father had, as a construction worker. He worked on the skyscraper’s that now dotted the city of Manhattan. Most of the time he worked untethered and could have plunged to his death at any moment. Angie remembered going to see him one time and recalled the fright she felt as she saw him do a soft shoe on one of the beams to make her smile, but unfortunately, it did the opposite as her heart beat out of her chest.

Peggy wasn’t doing that every day, but Angie reasoned it was just as dangerous and if she wanted to help her navigate through the tough times coming up, she’d gladly experience any of the worrisome feelings in order to spend her life, however long or short it was, with the woman she loved.

Peggy came back with the handkerchief and Angie could tell she was moved by what she had witnessed in Angie’s eyes as she held the vial of blood. She accepted the handkerchief and chuckled as she wiped her eyes.

“Sorry, for getting emotional on you there, Peg. It just hit me some kinda way and I couldn’t help it.”

“Don’t apologize for that, my darling,” Peggy said and sat next to her, pulling her into a hug and kissing the side of her head as Angie tended to her tears and nose. “I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels emotional when I look at that and think that’s the last of him.”

Angie finished tending to her eyes and turned to put her arms around Peggy and squeeze her tight. After a little while she asked, “So where are you thinking his final resting place should be?”

Peggy pulled out of the hug and looked at her, “I know it should be somewhere in Brooklyn, he loved where he came from so…”

“It’s a good place,” Angie shrugged and then smirked as she said, “The best people come from there.”

Peggy laughed at her cool arrogance, “Well, the best people I’ve met so far have been from there, so I can’t argue with you there.”

Angie smiled wider and said, “Though, I never seem to have my own hanky when I cry. So, do with that information what you will, English.” She said, as she pocketed the handkerchief. “Where exactly were you thinking?”

“The Brooklyn Bridge?”

“What, like putting it at the top or something?”

Peggy shook her head, “I was more thinking of pouring it into the river from the bridge.”

Angie considered that, it seemed good enough, but then she thought of where she’d want to be buried, and if Steve were a real Brooklyn boy, that would have been his first choice too.

“What about the field at the Dodgers’ ballpark, Ebbets Field?”

“I thought about that, Steve definitely would have picked there, I’m sure, but what if it’s not there forever?”

Angie clutched at her heart dramatically, “Why don’t you just go get a knife from the kitchen and plunge it in right here, Peg?” She said as she pointed to the area above her heart.

Peggy smiled and had to laugh at that.

“Yes, I know, darling, baseball and the Dodgers are going to be a part of America forever, but what if they want to move out of Brooklyn?”

“Move?! Where to?! Brooklyn is the best city in the world! They’d be stupid to move, I mean, really! Move,” Angie said, disdainfully. “They’d rather sell their mothers then move from Brooklyn.”

“Well, be that as it may, I’m not taking any chances of it being dug up and then someone tries to use it for nefarious purposes. I still don’t know if those out there looking for it, don’t realize that this is the only one left. I’m going to make sure that no one gets their hands on it.”

“Okay, I gotcha, I can understand that,” Angie said in a conciliatory way, then mumbled to Steve’s picture, “Dodgers leave Brooklyn, who ever heard of such a thing?”

Peggy smiled at that exchange and then said, “I’m going to do it tomorrow, after we meet Jarvis and see the new place…”

“Okay, sounds good.”

“Will you come with me when I do it?”

“What? Me…be there when you,” she mimed dumping the blood out of the vial. “…oh no, honey, you should do that alone…I mean, not that I wouldn’t be completely honored, but that’s really your bond there with him and I feel like I’d be a third wheel if I were there.”

Peggy could understand that, but she really wanted Angie there, she would need comfort after sending Steve to his final resting place and who better to comfort her than Angie? She looked at her, trying to ask in a way that wouldn’t be sounding selfish. She decided to let it go for now, but she’d definitely ask her again.

“I don’t agree with that, but I’ll not push you for now.”

She spotted her watery drink and picked it up, finishing it off and then putting it back on its coaster on the coffee table.

“I think bed is now in order, Miss Martinelli.”

“That would be amenable to me, Agent Carter.”

“Shall we?” Peggy got up and held out her hand to pull Angie up from the sofa. Once she was up, Peggy made a loop of her arm and Angie slipped hers through it. “What did they sing in the movie we saw?”

Angie chuckled, “We’re off to see the Wizard?”

“Yes, that’s it. We’re off to…” Peggy started to sing and stopped as she wanted to change the words to make it funnier but nothing was coming to mind.

Angie continued for her, “…sleep as sinners…the wonderful sinners we are!”

Peggy laughed out loud at that, “Simply scandalous, darling.”

“And totally _delicious_ , sweety.”

“I cannot deny that,” Peggy said, sincerely, as they were going into the room.

“Before we get into any mischief, let me check that back of yours, Peg.”

“Ooh, an examination, why yes, Nurse Martinelli, whatever you say, Nurse Martinelli,” Peggy said mischievously, as she slipped her robe off her shoulders and stood with her naked back to Angie.

Angie’s eyes went wide and then narrowed as she saw two distinct baseball bat shaped bruises on Peggy’s back.

“If I…ever see that hayseed ever again…”

Peggy said over her shoulder, “You’ll call the authorities straight away, dear, and you hide or run to a crowded area. Preferably the latter.”

“But I want to do to her what she did to you…”

“Angie, dearest, please hear my voice, you have to listen to me in this regard, she has killed many, many people, you are not to engage her, under any circumstances. Is that understood, _Angela_?”

Peggy’s forceful tone and her use of Angie’s full first name was enough to sufficiently break her from the trance that had the red mist forming behind her eyes. The Martinelli Curse, as she called it.

Angie smirked, “I got it, English, transmission was loud and clear,” then she said, sincerely, “Thank you.”

“You’re quite welcome,” Peggy said, a smile starting to creep on her face as she felt a soft kiss placed on her shoulder, then another and another. Angie was marching across her back and shoulders, leaving little kisses from one end to the other. Peggy shivered from the feelings starting to course through her, in anticipation of what might be about to happen.

“You cold, sweetheart?” Angie asked, concerned.

“Not at all, getting hot as a matter of fact.”

“Nice,” Angie said, as she continued her kiss tour of Peggy’s back. “I’ll need the patient to get on the bed.” She whispered when she was finished.

“On my front, Nurse Martinelli, or on my back?”

“Oh, on your back is fine, I think,” Angie smiled, as she held onto Peggy’s robe and Peggy stepped out of it.

“Shocked, Nurse? I don’t have any underthings on, I’m sorry, does that make you nervous?”

“Not at all,” Angie said, mimicking what Peggy had said just before. “It’s making me hot as a matter of fact.”

“Yes? Why don’t you take off your robe?” Peggy asked, innocently, enjoying this sexy roleplay they had spontaneously started.

“Go get on the bed and I will, sweetie,” Angie smirked at her.

Peggy dutifully got on the bed and lay on her side, waiting patiently for Angie to take her robe off and join her.

Angie at first teased Peggy a little, pretending to open her robe and then pretending she wasn’t going to do that at all. Peggy chuckled at first, but then got a little impatient and finally gasped when Angie opened her robe quickly, ripping it off with a flourish and tossed it to the side. Standing proudly with her hands balled into a fist on each of her hips.

“Florence TightenGale at your service, Madame,” Angie said, and looked at Peggy whose mouth was still gaping at the sight of Angie in the skimpy nurse’s outfit she had seen in the wardrobe and had wished she could see Angie in it.

“You. Are. A. Vision.” Peggy finally was able to say.

“You like?”

“I love, Jesus, now I see what…”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing, darling, doesn’t matter, come here, please?”

“Wait, I have to complete the look,” Angie said, as she took the hat out of the pocket of her robe and put it on her head.

“Oh, yes, that does it.”

Angie went up to the side of the bed and did a slow strip tease as Peggy watched, in awe of what she was witnessing, she had never seen something so wanton and she was very excited, knowing it was all for her.

When Angie was done, not a stich was left on her person, save the hat and garters, she slipped into the bed, next to Peggy and pulled her into a hungry kiss, which Peggy was all too glad to return. The next few moments were the two of them jostling for dominance, with Angie finally winning, when Peggy moved in a way that had hurt her back. Faltering for a moment, Angie was able to get the upperhand and she gently pushed her on her back, pouting in sympathy as she looked into her eyes and leaned down for a kiss.

“I’ll be gentle, I promise,” Angie said, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, she bent down for a kiss one more time and the broke it off before it became too long.

Peggy opened her eyes questioningly; the break of the kiss was too sudden for her liking and she was worried something was wrong.

“I’d like to do something we haven’t done before,” Angie said, seriously. “In fact, I’ve been dying to do this to you. Do you trust me?”

“Without reserve,” Peggy said, quickly. It was true, Angie was just about the one person, besides Steve that she ever trusted without question.

Angie smiled deeply at that vote of confidence, then pointed to the walls, “There’s no one living next door to these walls, feel free to scream, sweetheart,” she winked and then laid on top of Peggy fully, parting her legs so she could slip in between them.

Peggy gasped from the contact and thought Angie was going to do to her what she had been doing to Angie lately and that was making her heartbeat increase, but Angie didn’t start the familiar rhythm and just started kissing the skin of her torso, making her way to each breast and giving them ample attention that had Peggy moaning constantly now. As Angie made her kiss march southward Peggy lifted her head curious to see where her destination was. Her eyes opened wider in surprise as Angie kissed her way down her stomach and then over her pelvis to her pubic mound. When she reached there, Angie looked up at Peggy and smiled, her eyes held Peggy’s in their sway and Angie saw a little worry in Peggy’s face.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart, you’re in good hands, you just lay back and prepare for your mind to be blown.”

Peggy wanted to watch what Angie was doing, but she did finally lay back as Angie had said, because the pleasure was too much for her to keep upright and she squirmed under Angie’s expert ministrations and she hadn’t even reached her final destination. She was still just kissing her inner thigh and when she’d get close to where Peggy was dying for her to go, she’d move off and kiss the other one. It was getting maddening, but she was so jazzed up for this to happen, that she didn’t want to do anything to have Angie tease her further. She was a bit nervous about it too, because she’d never thought about having this done to her, well, almost never thought of having this done to her.

Finally, she felt the heat of Angie’s mouth near her womanhood and closed her eyes, biting her lower lip in anticipation. What she felt, was not what she thought she was going to feel, it was exciting, but she was starting to worry that she didn’t have any feeling in certain sensitive areas as she felt Angie’s tongue on her, but no electric shocks like she got when she used her fingers. As this went on for a while, her frustration grew, but again she didn’t want to say anything for fear that Angie would worry about her and stop. When she finally opened her eyes and looked down at Angie, she was shocked to see her staring back at her with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“I was wondering when you’d open them up to look at me, English,” Angie said, a little vixen tinged in her voice. “So, you could see who was doing this to you. Also, can you toss me that small pillow there, sweetheart?”

Peggy did what she was told and watched as Angie lifted Peggy’s lower half and slide the pillow underneath, so she had better access to her current prize. Angie smiled and blew lightly on her vagina.

As that stretched on for a few moments, Peggy was going to say something about her being so frustrating, but all was lost on her lips as she saw Angie move her mouth back down towards her sex, her fingers holding her labia open and then felt her tongue hone in on her clitoris and lap and massage at it, in a devilishly, delicious pattern that had her body jerking and convulsing in pleasure.

“Oh, Angie! You…are…my… _absolute_ , angel…” Peggy breathed out, as Angie continued her frenzied assault on the bundle of nerves that held all of the pleasure in her body at the moment. “Yes, just there, dearest…Oh!” Peggy exclaimed, as she felt a finger at the precipice of her opening, which caused her to prop herself up on her elbows to again look down at Angie, who was smiling with just her eyes as her lips and tongue still were working their magic on her clitoris. Peggy’s face held a question and Angie stopped what she was doing.

“What, honey?”

“W-will it hurt?”

“My finger?”

Angie shook her head, “Not much, but if you don’t want me…”

“I want you to…” Peggy said, quickly, she was sure.

“If it hurts you just tap my head and I’ll ease off, sound good?”

Peggy nodded her head, lowering herself back down on the bed, but angling the pillow behind her back in a way that she was still propped up and could see what Angie was doing. She bit her lip again as she felt the finger start to go in, it was wet and she was thankful of that as Angie would have an easier time making her way inside. She gasped as she felt a delicious pressure in her lower body and Angie resumed her ministrations on her clitoris. Her concentration on watching Angie doing what she was doing to her broke as the sensations it was causing, were increasing at a phenomenal pace and she was just moaning constantly now, her head moving side to side, while her back arched and relaxed uncontrollably.

Angie delighted in the sounds coming from Peggy, and from the obvious pleasure she was getting out of her current attentions. To say that she was delighted, was an understatement, really, this was what she derived pleasure out of the most when she was with her partners, because she felt like she had full control over them but not in a way that she would ever use it to torture. Well, maybe just tease a little.

She started to add a second finger and heard the gasp that came from Peggy, which gave her own womanhood a shock of pleasure. The amount of wetness coming from Peggy let Angie know she was close to her climax and as much as she wanted to hold it off, she also didn’t want to deny this woman anything. As her finger made its way in to join her other, Peggy moaned out, “Oh Angie! I…I think…”

Angie could tell by the strong spasm that just hit Peggy’s clitoris, that she was right at the precipice of pleasure and she was about to fall into the heady abyss of a monster orgasm. Angie steadied herself on the bed and held onto one of Peggy’s thighs, ready for any jerking or squeezing action Peggy was about to do to her head and torso.

“My God, yes! Yes! There it is, yes! Just there, keep doing…please…please. Yes. Yes. YES!” Peggy shouted, nay screamed, the last as the dam broke and her thighs squeezed around Angie’s head, trying to keep her in position. Angie had been ready with a deep breath through her nose, which was a good thing because Peggy’s strong thighs had clamped around her head like a vice as she rode out her pleasure on her face. Angie was faintly aware that Peggy was shouting words she had never thought would come out of her proper British mouth, but it increased her own pleasure and her clitoris throbbed in sympathy as Peggy’s vaginal walls meted out their spasms tightly on her fingers, in waves.

Finally, after a few moments of rocking to and fro, Peggy’s thighs let up their pressure slightly and Angie was able to get another breath in, her fingers still expertly drawing out pleasure from Peggy’s g-spot, as she slowly backed off the pressure on her clitoris knowing instinctively, that it would be too sensitive in a moment or two. Angie was all too happy to stay where she was, as Peggy took a few moments to come back from on high, where she had shot to with that last shockwave.

Angie slowly removed her fingers, one by one and then lapped at the nectar that flowed from Peggy’s hole. Finally, Peggy’s thighs relaxed even their modified grip on her head and Angie was able to lift her head and look at her, in her moment of blissful reverie. One hand was up near her mouth, almost as if she was talking to the back of her fingers and her other hand had been pinching a nipple. Angie smirked and gave kisses to Peggy’s outer lips, in a reverent farewell, but definitely not a goodbye.

“My darling,” Peggy whispered out, her throat dry and scratchy from breathing hard for the last few minutes.

“Yes?”

Angie gave a final lick to just above Peggy’s vagina, and started a kissing march back up her body, finally settling herself comfortably between her thighs and giving Peggy’s chest some much needed attention.

“I love you,” Peggy said, pulling at Angie’s shoulders, trying to get her to come up to her so she could give her a grateful kiss. Angie pulled off of her chest and showed Peggy her fingers, the ones that had been in her just moments ago. Peggy could see them glisten with her juices and watched with curiosity as Angie smiled and put them in her mouth, groaning like she was tasting the best ice cream known to woman or man. Peggy’s eyes grew wide and then narrowed with a question.

“What’s that taste like?” she asked, in a throaty whisper.

Angie looked at her, removed the fingers from her mouth with a pop and thought. Finally, saying with a devilish glint in her eyes, “Like the sweetest honey mixed with a spicy Peggy Carter.”

“Aren’t you just the sweetest thing? Come here, my darling, so I can properly thank you.”

“You sure you don’t want me to clean up first?”

“I like you dirty,” Peggy said, with a wink.

Angie smiled and leaned down, capturing Peggy’s mouth in a hot, wet kiss. After the kiss broke, Angie said, “I love you too, sweetheart.”

“Angie, that was…I cannot describe how I felt while you were doing that to me…it was erotic, spiritual, loving, passionate, and I feel like I left my body for a moment, looking down at us on the bed, but I know I couldn’t have…”

“Died and gone to heaven?”

“It felt like it, I can assure you of that,” Peggy said and smoothed her tongue over her teeth and lips. “Hmm…the taste of oneself…not unpleasant but then, I am a bit of a narcissist.”

Angie smirked at her, “ _My_ narcissist,” she said, as she leaned in for another kiss.

“Yours for as long as you’ll have me,” Peggy said, with a nod when the kiss broke.

“We won’t tempt fate by talking about how long we’ll be together, but just know that I’ve got our china pattern picked out, where we’ll have our 25th and 50th Anniversary dinners and…”

Peggy laughed and pulled Angie in for another grateful kiss, she didn’t like to tempt fate either, but lately she had started feeling the same as Angie did, that she’d live a long life, and this relationship would last, no matter what kind of obstacles were in their way, for a very, very long time.

Later that night, after Angie won the battle of how late they were going to stay up, by saying she’d never do to Peggy what she had done to her tonight if she didn’t get some sleep so she could go into work bright and early tomorrow, Peggy looked at Angie in the mirror as they were brushing their teeth. Angie noticed her looking when she went to rinse her mouth out using the glass that was left in the bathroom for such purposes.

“What?” She asked, smiling.

“Nothing, sweetheart,” Peggy said, rinsing off her toothbrush and reaching out for the glass of water Angie had just used.

“You sure? It looked like something,” Angie smirked in the mirror at her.

“Well, I was just thinking…” Peggy trailed off.

“Out with it English, I don’t got all night,” Angie stood with her hand on her hip and watched as Peggy rinsed and spit into the bowl of the sink.

“Tomorrow night…can you wear that outfit again and I’ll wear the doctor’s smock?”

Angie’s eyes widened considerably at the possibility of their roleplay and reached out, took the glass out of Peggy’s hand and shuffled her off to the room they were staying in and pushed her into bed so they could sleep and get the night over with and hopefully, will tomorrow into moving along fast too.

Peggy laughed as Angie pulled the covers over them and burrowed into her side, taking up her favorite sleeping position.

“I’m guessing that was a ‘yes’?”

“Shhh, let’s get to sleep so tomorrow night can get here that much sooner.”

Peggy laughed out loud again, and Angie delighted in the sheer joy she heard in her, Peggy’s laugh was music to her ears.

Before Peggy drifted off to sleep, she wondered if she could convince Angie to go with her tomorrow when she brought Steve to his final resting place. Even if she just stayed in the car, it would be a help to her.

Angie lifted her head and looked at Peggy.

“Peg, sweetheart,” Angie said, questioningly.

“Yes?”

“I…I guess I could be there, in the car, waiting for you after you bring Steve home. I mean, I’ll watch and make sure you’re safe out there on the bridge, but you should be with him alone as you do it.”

Peggy smiled at her gratefully and tears came to her eyes. “Thank you, my darling, that sounds perfect. I appreciate that.”

“Oh, now, look who’s crying and doesn’t have a hanky,” Angie said in mock disapproval and tutted at Peggy, as she wiped away the tears, that had fallen from her eyes onto her cheeks, with her thumbs

Peggy laughed through her tears.

“Such emotional broads we are,” Angie said, with a wink, as Peggy leaned in for a loving and thankful kiss.

When it broke and they were finished declaring their love for each other, Peggy lay back into the pillow and sighed, a great weight had been lifted off of her shoulders because she had the woman she loved to help bear the burden of the emotions she would be feeling after pouring Steve’s blood into the Hudson.

Finally, the sleep that had been trying to claim her since she was ravished by Angie earlier, enveloped her into its tight bonds and she was snoring slightly within minutes.

Angie smiled as she heard that, knowing that she had helped to ease the burden Peggy must have felt about tomorrow. Though, she did feel bad a bit about Peggy scheduling their roleplay for that very night, maybe out of respect she’d get Peggy to move it off to when they were in their new digs.

After a few minutes of listening to Peggy’s breathing soften and become quieter, she fell into a peaceful, restorative, sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: Please practice safe sex! Peggy and Angie live in a world where sexually transmitted diseases don’t exist. 😉


	14. I Hope That She Turns Out To Be...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s a new day, and Peggy and Angie have a life to start together, without any filters…well, without many filters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is for my friend and fellow Cartinelli shipper, Reese, better known as Stories By Reese. She helped me out with a passage in this chapter and I will be eternally grateful for that and her constant and unwavering support, right from the beginning. Thanks Reese! You *are* the best (despite what Alina and Jennifer say.) 😉

Peggy was the first to wake up and by the looks of the light in the room it was time to get up and start the day, but she really wished she didn’t have to. The bed was so warm and the company so soft that she wanted go back on her word to return to work that morning. She knew that she really should go in, if only to pick up her check, like Angie said. She knew they wouldn’t really acknowledge her role in saving thousands from certain death. Quietly, she extricated herself from under Angie’s arm that was laying across her chest. When she went to lift it, she wasn’t prepared for the owner of that arm to tighten her grip and cling with all her might.

“No,” came the decidedly awake voice of the owner of said arm.

Peggy chuckled, “Morning, dearest. I’m pretty sure it was you who told me to go to work this morning.”

“I know and boy am I gonna give myself a piece of my mind!”

“I was going to slip quietly off to work…”

“Not today, English, not today,” Angie said, and turned to her head to look at her.

“You mean you’re going to let me play…what is it you call it? Hooky? Finally?”

“Not quite, nice try though. No, you’re still going in, but you’re gonna get a good breakfast cooked for you by someone that loves you.”

“But darling, there are cooks here that can do that for me. They’ve probably been up for an hour at least making some of the morning bakery delights.”

“Is that why I smell bread? I thought I was dreaming.”

Peggy shook her head, “They make croissants and scones and-”

Angie held a hand up for Peggy to stop talking as she sniffed the air and closed her eyes.

“Apple turnovers…”

“Most likely, yes, I think I’ve seen those on the table in the morning.”

“I don’t know, I think I might have been born in an apple orchard, I can’t get enough of them,” Angie said, a wicked glint in her eyes as she palmed Peggy’s breasts under her hands.

“They’re a little bigger than apples, thank you very much,” Peggy glared at her.

“A lot,” Angie agreed. “What did Pop call them…”

“Dearest, could you not mention your father while you are pawing at my naked breasts in a sexual way?”

“Hmmm?” Angie lazily asked while trying to think of the word, she bent her mouth down to kiss the flesh while she thought.

Peggy could see she hadn’t heard one word that she said and then had to laugh in spite of herself as Angie finally said the word she was trying so desperately to remember.

“Casabas,” Angie said, and wiggled her eyebrows, a devilish smile on her lips, as her hands still massaged Peggy’s pliant breasts.

The laugh that came from Peggy was unexpected and loud, she laughed for a good long while as she remembered the look on Mr. Martinelli’s face when he said that about Ava Gardner, because he had been trying to remember Mickey Rooney’s name.

“Oh, dear, I had forgotten about that,” she said, getting ahold of herself and wiping at her eyes. “I wanted to laugh so hard that day, to almost everything you and your family did or said, but with your grandmother there and me being new to your family, I didn’t want to look to forward or familiar…”

Angie was looking down at Peggy with glee. She loved when she was able to bring a good laugh to her. Now that she knew how serious and deadly her job was, she delighted in it even more, feeling now that it was her duty to keep the joy in her life and keep her stress levels down.

“I almost forgot, sweetie, we’re invited there on Sunday, and you did kind of promise Millie you’d come and join the reading club.”

“Oh yes, I will be there, if I have to move mountains,” Peggy said, emphatically.

“Speaking of mountains…” Angie winked at her and started her massage up again.

“Naughty. Come here and kiss me, I’ll need it to get me through today,” Peggy said, her eyes hooded with the desire that Angie was stoking with her hands on her breasts.

“It’ll be a great, day, Peg,” Angie said, sincerely. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t get some sort of commendation for what you did last night.”

“Come here and let me give you your commendation for what _you_ did last night,” Peggy smiled and put her lips together, giving Angie an invitation with an air-kiss.

Angie smiled and leaned down for the kiss Peggy had been wanting to give her. This particular kiss held the promise of a brand-new start, a clean slate where they didn’t have any secrets from each other anymore and Peggy could rejoice at being able to let someone into her life that wasn’t afraid of who she was or what she did. Someone that was there to share in the day to day of how her work made her feel, if not exactly what she was working on, someone she could trust to give her much needed comfort or counsel and not try to stop her from doing what she was born to do, and trying to mold her into someone she wasn’t. She was also ready to share in the day to day of Angie’s career and she was determined to give her the confidence she needed into going for it for real.

“Mmmm,” Angie moaned, as their kiss ended. “What time is it?”

“From the angle of the light on the windows, I would say it’s around six thirty,” Peggy said, ready for Angie’s protest and her burrowing back into the covers. Saying something like, ‘Wake me up when the world’s ready for me.’

“Ugh,” Angie said, but didn’t make a move to go back into the covers. “Okay, well, you go get into the shower, I’ll go find this cook and see if he has what I need to make my omelet.”

Peggy’s stomach thanked her, but she didn’t think the cook would probably like someone else in their kitchen. “But, dear, the cook is there to cook, you don’t have to do that. Besides, I could just have scones and tea…”

“You need protein, English, so you can keep taking those hits and bouncing back like you do. Especially, to give them your own hit back. I’m up and I’m going to cook.”

Peggy saw the look of determination in Angie’s eyes, so she didn’t protest again, but she was a little guilty that Angie had to get up early to cook for her.

“Will you get some more sleep after I leave at least?”

“No,” Angie said, with a sigh. “I’ve got to work out what I’m going to do with my life and that means I need to call my mother and tell her about getting kicked out of my apartment.”

“Oh, dear, I had forgotten that your mother doesn’t know yet,” Peggy said, a little bit frightened for Angie.

“Yes, I appreciate that you didn’t tell her before I had a chance to.”

“You’re quite welcome, though, if you hadn’t turned up by the next day I was definitely going to tell. I am a bit surprised you didn’t tell your mother straight away and go home instead of going to your uncles’, I’ve always thought you had the type of relationship with your mother that you could tell her anything.”

Angie looked a little guilty, “I do, but I was a little mad at her…”

“Really? Why?”

“It had to do with you and Pat knowing each other and me finding out that she knew all about it.”

Peggy went to protest but Angie cut her off, “I know now that she told you to tell me, so I’m not mad at her anymore and I really feel bad that I ever was. You know…”

Angie trailed off and Peggy watched her face go through a few emotions, finally ending on sadness, which made her worry.

“What, sweetheart?”

“I…” Angie said, and sighed, rolling off of Peggy to look at the ceiling. She took another deep breath before speaking again, “I found out that when my mom was grieving over my brother Pete’s death, that…she…” Angie’s voice was filled with emotion, “…that she thought of dying herself…”

“Oh, my darling,” Peggy rolled on her side and took Angie’s hand.

“I also learned that my father’s mother, _that woman_ , didn’t lift a finger to help my parents, and was hoping my mother would…kill herself,” Angie paused after saying that, trying not to let the emotions get too her too much or she would start crying. She felt Peggy squeeze her hand for comfort and she continued, “…so she could play matchmaker again for my father. She’s sick, Peg, and I don’t know what I’m going to do if I see her again.”

“It’s not my place to make any decisions for you, but I would advise, cordiality and politeness would be in order, if only to devil her.”

“I know, that’s what my Aunt Freddy said too. I just… _someone_ has to put her in her place.”

“With people like that, they’re only happy when you’re unhappy. You have to show her that you’re happy, and not just by pretending, you just have to be happy and not worry what she thinks about you, me or the man in the moon, for that matter. But, if you show that she’s making you mad, well then, she’s won, that’s what she wants and when you blow up and put her in her place she’s happy because then she’s the victim, the martyr, whom everyone wrongs.”

Angie sighed, “You’re right, it’s what she waits for, to be insulted and then she can make her dramatic exit.”

“Exactly.”

Angie looked over at Peggy and smiled, “You should open your own practice, for head shrinking…”

Peggy laughed, “I should, but you wouldn’t be able to afford my rates.”

“No? I think we could work something out,” Angie said, devilishly.

“That is utterly scandalous and makes me sound like some letch who preys on vulnerable women.”

“I keep telling you, you’re my letch and you just letch away.”

“This letch needs to get in the shower,” Peggy smirked.

“And this letchee needs to see about making you some breakfast.”

Angie leapt lithely out of bed, twirled herself around the bedpost and bounded past the foot of the bed to retrieve her robe.

Peggy watched, impressed at the athleticism that Angie possessed.

“What?” Angie asked, puzzled as Peggy continued to stare.

“Done much dancing or fighting training for that matter?”

Angie smirked as she untangled her robe and put it on, “Dancing, yes, in my business you have to, and fighting training? Streets of Flatbush from about the age of four…”

“I don’t doubt it, both with the way you move and the way you get your way in bed…”

“Hey, I saw my opportunity with your back all gimpy and I exploited it, English, don’t go getting too upset about it…”

“Not upset at all, darling, I’m just thinking how easy it will be to teach you some self-defense techniques. Now, you go deal with the breakfast if you’d like, I’m going to do some exercises before I shower.”

“Ya know,” Angie said, waving a dismissive hand. “I think the cook probably knows what they’re doing right?” She said, as she flounced into an armchair in the room. “Let’s see what you really got, English.”

“Let me get into some more appropriate clothing and then we’ll go into the exercise room.”

Angie narrowed her eyes, “There’s a room for that?”

Peggy nodded, “I saw it when I was here before I moved into the Griffith, it’s quite adequate.”

After they both changed into something better suited to exercise, they went into the dedicated room for it. Angie’s eyes were like saucers.

“Quite adequate indeed…” She ran her hand over the pommel horse. “Wow, I’ve always wanted to try one of these…”

“It’s quite good for upper arm strength and limbering up, actually.”

“You think the place Stark’s offering us will have one of these? Or will it be like a postage stamp?”

“I’d suspect it would be at least something like this, though I don’t really know. Would it be bad if it wasn’t?”

Angie looked back at Peggy and smiled, “I’d live with you in a shoebox, English, with no running water and a hole in the ceiling.”

“Sounds _lovely_ ,” Peggy said, sarcastically.

“It would be, because it had you…”

Peggy smiled and shook her head, “No, the loveliness would be all your doing…”

“Wanna make a bet?” Angie said, narrowing her eyes and licking out at her lips.

“Oh, you,” Peggy said, dismissively. “I will not abide by any distractions.”

“Gotcha, chief,” Angie said, dutifully.

“Now, first I’d like to get in some sparring, are you okay to wear these?” She held up the gloves that were used to catch the punches.

“Ooh, sparring mitts, sure…never got to actually use them, but I’ve seen people spar before.”

“Okay, here you go, and I’ll put on these…” Peggy said, putting on the leather gloves that would protect her knuckles.

“Gimme what you got, Peg. No holding back.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely,” Angie nodded, confidently and held up the mitts as she had seen it done before.

She was not prepared for the speed and forcefulness at which Peggy came at her and punched the mitts alternatively and when she spun and roundhouse kicked the left mitt, Angie lost her balance and landed on her backside. Her mouth hanging open and her eyes blinking slowly.

Peggy, slightly out of breath, pulled the bunch of hair that had worked its way loose from her ponytail, falling in front of her eyes and smoothed it back tucking it behind her ear.

“Are you alright, dearest? You said I shouldn’t hold back…”

Angie came out of her daze and narrowed her eyes at Peggy, “I did…what scares me is that I think you did hold back a bit…”

Peggy smiled, demurely, “Well, I’d rather be safe than accidently knocking you out on our first real morning alone together,” she said, extending her hand out for Angie to pull herself up by.

Angie took off one of the mitts and gave Peggy her hand, the ease with which she pulled her up also surprised Angie.

“You’ve been holding back a lot, haven’t you?” Angie said, awed.

“How d’you mean?”

“I mean, even though you were hurting last night, you could have easily put me on my back and never let me up…me thinking I got the drop on you was just you letting me win.”

Peggy smiled but her eyes showed some worry, “I like you…like that so…but it did _really_ hurt and you legitimately got the upper hand.”

“At first…”

“At first, yes, if it had been a life or death situation, I would have stuffed the pain down and you would have been flat on your back within seconds.”

“Good to know,” Angie said, with another nod and looked over at the area where Peggy got the mitts from. “Is that headgear? I feel like I might need to protect my head.”

“We don’t have to-”

“No, no, Peg, don’t treat me like a little kid, I’d like to help you with this and learn,” Angie said, putting on the leather helmet that would protect her head if a stray punch or kick landed astray.

Peggy smiled, impressed.

“Okay, let’s go,” Angie said, holding the mitts up again. This time she steeled her arms more firmly and set her feet solidly on the mats. “Give it to me.”

Peggy nodded and set her feet and arms in a defensive position, giving Angie a little head nod before she started towards her, punching at the mitts with a blisteringly fast pace and finally feinting as though she was going to kick the left mitt, but spinning and kicking the right. As she came set, she was pleased to see that Angie hadn’t gone down this time, however, she was throwing the mitts off and rubbing at her hands.

“I, uh…I think we might need to tape my hands before I do that again, English…” Angie said, as she tried to shake some feeling back into her hands.

“We will definitely take some more precautions, dearest. Now, you can sit and observe, whilst I work on the bag.”

A good twenty minutes later and Peggy finally gave the bag a kick that knocked it from the ceiling. Angie sprung up and helped her lift it, guiding it back onto its hook.

“I think that’ll do, darling,” Peggy said, a sheen of sweat was all over her body and a bit out of breath, but she was feeling both energized and electrified.

Angie saw the look on her face and wondered out loud if the walls of the room were sound proofed.

Peggy laughed at that, “I’m not going to jump you, sweetheart. I do need to get in that shower and maybe you could join me?” She asked, as she removed the gloves from her hands.  
Angie was still in an awed reverence and just nodded her head. “I’ll help you with your hair,” she said, automatically.

“Ooh, yes, and I can pay in kisses again?”

Angie nodded, still seeing the raw power that Peggy had displayed just moments before, in her mind’s eye.

Peggy took her hand and led her out of the exercise room, back through the bedroom and into the bathroom. Turning on the shower and stripping down to nothing, she regarded Angie who still seemed to be in a bit of a stupor.

“Everything okay, darling?” Peggy asked.

“If that’s what you can do, and you beat hayseed to a pulp…”

“Oh, darling, please don’t think that’s what I do all day, most days my job is _very_ boring, paperwork and research…filing…”

“Yes, but after what you did for this city, this country actually, you’re going to be getting more of the actual leg work, I just know it, Peg,” Angie said, encouragingly but a little bit worried.

“Well, that would be what I’m aiming for,” she said, as she checked the spray of the water to see if it was warm enough. “I hope that’s going to be okay…”

“More than okay,” Angie smiled, finally coming out of her awed reverie from watching Peggy’s boxing workout.

“Coming in?” Peggy said, as she stepped in the shower.

Angie shook her head, “Not this morning, no, I’ll shower later.”

Peggy pouted.

“No pouts, Miss Carter. I might not be able to best you with fists, but I do know what’s for your own good.”

“What? Like leaving me?” Peggy asked, without thinking.

Angie looked hurt by that and Peggy regretted it as soon as it was out of her mouth.

“I’m sorry, darling, I was joking but it was a poor excuse for a joke,” Peggy said, quickly.

Angie looked at her, and smirked, her face showed how sorry she was for ever thinking that she should break up with Peggy for Peggy’s own good. “No, don’t be sorry, Peg. I deserved that one. I thought I was being all grown up and making a decision I now know was not mine to make.”

“We don’t have to relitigate this, dearest, you apologized and I do love you for thinking of what’s good for me, but yes, we’ll make those types of decisions together, hey?”

“Of course,” Angie said, took Peggy’s hand and placed a kiss on it. “Now I’m going to go see to our breakfast.”

“Can I at least have a proper kiss before you go?” Peggy asked, her pout back in place.

“Of course, just don’t try any funny business, we have stuff to get done today and we’re running late as it is…”

“Alright, alright,” Peggy said, acquiescing. Angie leaned in for a kiss and they were both breathing a little harder as it ended. “You say not to do any funny business then you go and do that thing with your tongue and I-”

“What thing with my tongue?” Angie asked, innocently over her shoulder as she headed out of the door. She was gone without waiting for a reply, and Peggy was left staring at the vacated space.

Peggy adjusted the shower to a decidedly cooler temperature before stepping under the spray.

“Honestly…”

*****

An hour later, Peggy looked at her watch and sighed. She took a final sip of her tea.

“Okay, darling, I’m off to work,” she said to Angie, who was looking through the paper at all of the fanfare made about the SSR exonerating Howard Stark and how he would be working with them again in the near future.

“I can’t believe they don’t even make one mention about what you did,” she said, turning over page after page.

“They’re not going to, darling, there were no reporters waiting after I talked Howard down, no one is going to tip them off…including you, is that clear?”

“Crystal,” Angie said, not looking at her as she rifled through the paper. “Scouts honor.”

“Good,” Peggy said, pleased.

“No!” Angie exclaimed suddenly and slammed the paper down on the table disgustedly.

Peggy was alarmed, but then realized that she was in the back of the paper when she had made that exclamation.

“Your baseball team didn’t win last night I take it?”

Angie folded her arms in front of her, dejection in her voice, “No…they didn’t…stupid bums.”

“I am awfully sorry, sweetheart,” Peggy said, going over to Angie and putting her hand on her shoulder in support. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Haul the Braves in for questioning so they have to forfeit their game tonight and then lock up St. Louis’ team for crimes against humanity for the rest of the season?”

“Oh, you, with your baseball, is it that much of a big deal?” Peggy held up her hand, stopping Angie from answering as she remembered when Steve would drone on with Howard about their respective teams. “Never mind, that I asked that, I know the answer already.”

Angie stood up and pulled Peggy in for a kiss, when it ended she said, “You, me, Pop and Vin, Sunday the 19th, Cincy is coming in to play us again and Head should be pitching, we’ll go and you’ll see what it’s all about, capisce?”

“Yes, darling,” Peggy rested her forehead on Angie’s. She groaned and said, “Tell me I don’t have to go in to work today, please?”

“Nothin’ doing, sister,” Angie said, and gave her a big squeeze. “I told you, I feel like this is your day and you need to go in and get all the accolades.”

“You know, that really doesn’t matter to me.”

“I know, honey, but it matters to me and I want you to show them they need you down there. We have all of tonight and then all day tomorrow to ourselves.”

“I’ll just have to keep reminding myself of that.”

“Speaking of which…” Angie trailed off.

“What is it, dear?”

“I don’t want…well, I don’t want you to…take this the wrong way,” Angie said, working up the nerve.

“That sounds ominous…”

“Well, it’s because I don’t want you to _not_ want to come home tonight,” Angie said, she knew she was making this worse, but she didn’t know how to just come out and say it.

“If that was supposed to make me feel better, it’s not.”

“So, okay, here it is…if you’re taking Steve home later, then I don’t think it’s right that we roleplay tonight, that’s all I’m trying to say…”

“Oh,” Peggy hadn’t even thought about that. Her look of surprise went to a grateful smile and she leaned in for another kiss. “Always looking out for me is my sweet, precious darling…” she said, when the kiss ended.

“Always will,” Angie said and gave her another kiss, this time a chaste one. “Now,” she continued, as she picked a hair off of Peggy’s shoulder and fixed the ties at the front of her burgundy dress, getting them to lay right. “You have a wonderful day, and no matter what, don’t let them tell you or make you feel that you’re not the best one of them.”

“You sure you couldn’t come with me today? Just to keep saying confident things like that when I start to feel low?”

Angie laughed, “Don’t tempt me. I’d love nothing more than to give some of those fatheads a piece of my mind.”

“Stand down, dear, one obstacle at a time. You know, slow and steady wins the race.”

“Not if you run flat out and take it when they least expect it,” Angie winked.

Peggy laughed at that, “I really wish I had your confidence; it would do me well when I go in there and no doubt Thompson gets all the credit.”

“Someone once told me something that I think will serve you well today.”

“What’s that, dearest?”

“You know your value; anyone else’s opinion doesn’t matter…”

Peggy was stunned to be hearing her motto coming out of Angie, she didn’t think she had said that to her before. “Did I tell you that?” she asked finally, her heart beating hard in her chest. It came from something Gen had said to her one night when she was particularly low about herself and her abilities and after what she did in France, she had reworded it to fit her and adopted it as her motto.

“No,” Angie said, ironically. “Steve did, in Passaic.” She went to a book she had on the server and took out the other picture she had brought with her from her uncle’s the night before. It was an unframed picture with Steve and Angie in front of a war bonds poster. He had his arm around Angie and a really pleased smile on his face, he was giving the camera his customary thumbs up. She had an equally pleased smile and was hugging him with both arms, really tightly.

Peggy’s head dropped slightly and the tears slipped out of her eyes. Not only was it a picture of her two loves, looking very happy to be in each other’s presence but Steve had signed it with her motto.

“Jack had told him that I was down on myself because I couldn’t break into baseball. Ya know, being a girl and all. He told him all about my curve ball and being from Brooklyn, I was too shy to say anything to him myself. Steve looked at me sincerely and said that someone had given him a piece of advice that always made him feel better about himself and not to care what others thought but to go out there and do what I wanted to do and show them what I was worth by just being me. I think I can safely say that that person, was you.”

Peggy smiled through her tears, still looking at the photo and nodded her head.

“Thank you for sharing this with me, darling, it’s a fitting way to start off my day at work, especially on this particular day, knowing what I will have to do later tonight.”

“That motto has carried me through a lot of dark times, Peg. I just wanted to remind you of it, incase those jerks are exactly what I think they are today.”

“I really do appreciate this, Angie,” Peggy said, laughing as Angie held out a handkerchief for her to wipe her eyes and blow her nose. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, honey. I didn’t mean to make you cry…”

“It just touched me to know that Steve listened to me and helped girls-”

“And boys,” Angie said. “Jack used to remind me of it when I got discouraged.”

Peggy smiled, “And boys, with the knowledge that I had taught him, even when I wasn’t there and then to know that it helped you specifically.”

“When I saw the picture again at my uncles’ and saw that motto, it just struck me that it’d be something you said. I was so happy he put it on the picture and that I could show you.”

Peggy leaned in for another kiss.

“This just makes me determined to do what you said, make them beg me to take my job back…I’ll make them squirm a little first.”

“Good,” Angie said. “I’m glad I could help.” She said, with a jaunty smile.

Peggy took a deep breath and picked up her jacket and pocketbook.

“Until tonight, darling,” She said with a smile.

“Have a great day at work, sweetheart.”

“I will now, thanks to you.”

Angie waved her hand dismissively, “Wasn’t nothin’, English.”

Peggy smiled as she watched her pad her way across the room, into the hall and went into the bedroom. Peggy propped the picture of Steve and Angie next to the one of him on the coffee table and left the apartment.

She held her head high as she stepped up to the car that would take her to work that morning.

*****

“Hiya, Ma!”

“Angie, my darling, how are you?!” Her mother’s tone changed as she asked, “Wait, is something wrong?”

Angie laughed, “Why does there have to be something wrong when I call you?”

“Well, normally you’re at work at this hour on a Friday, I was just wondering if something happened.”

“No, wait…yes,” Angie said, so much had happened that she forgot she hadn’t told her mother about getting evicted. “So, listen, I’m no longer at the Griffith. I moved out.”

“What? Why?”

“I was kinda told to…”

“Angela don’t tell me…”

“Okay I won’t,” Angie called her mother’s bluff.

“Wait a minute now, young lady. Normally girls get thrown out for sneaking guys up to their rooms…but that wouldn’t be the case, so out with it! What did you do? Did you sneak Peggy…”

“Woah, hey, no…not something we’re going to talk about, first of all. And secondly, no, that’s not why I got told to leave. Maybe.”

“Oh, Gesu Crist en Croce…”

“Wait, Ma, really, that’s not why, just listen.”

“I’m listening,” Mrs. Martinelli said, sitting on the bed. “I’ve sat down now, so you don’t have to worry about me falling and hitting my head.”

Angie sighed, “Well, okay. So, the other day, before Peggy was arrested, I kinda lied to the agents that came to ask me questions and I had-”

“Your father and Vinny drop the scash over by Francis’ bar,” Mrs. Martinelli finished for her.

“You knew?” Angie was really worried that her mother knew everything.

“No, sweetheart, but I can put two and two together.”

“So, Miriam figured that I had lied to them, because she was there when they were questioning me, and even if she didn’t know, someone that lived there had tipped her off.”

“Oh my God…when did you get evicted? Today?”

Angie was going to lie and say yes, but she really didn’t want to be that way with her mother.

“Two nights ago,” she said, closing her eyes and waiting for the yelling to start. She was surprised to hear a sigh and then silence.

Her mother asked finally, “So where did you stay the last two nights?”

“Well, two nights ago I stayed with Uncle Bob and Aunt Fred and then last night, Howard Stark let Peggy and I stay at one of his places. Don’t get mad.”

“Why would I be mad? I mean, if a daughter wants to shut her mother out of her life and not tell her important details like getting evicted from her apartment, what am I gonna do? She’s an adult, she has a right to do so. We live in America, don’t we?”

Angie hung her head, it was the ‘Free Country Speech’.

Her mother continued, “Last time I checked, this was the Home of the _Free_ and the Brave, not the land of the ‘tell-your-mother-important-details-about-your-life-because-it’s-good-to-tell-her-when-you-get-kicked-out-of-your-apartment’. Ya know, _that_ land.”

“I know, Ma…but…”

“But what?”

“I’d rather tell this to you in person, but I didn’t say anything at first I was a bit mad at you.”

“For what?”

“Ma, please, I don’t feel this way now and Peggy cleared it all up, it was about the whole Peggy knowing Pat and you knowing it.”

“I told you, that I told her-”

“Yes, I know and she did tell me that too. So that’s why I went out to Long Island, I just needed to clear my head, and I was a little scared to tell you that I had gotten kicked out.”

“What scared? _You_ scared? Who used to climb trees as tall as the Empire State? Scared of a little old lady in Queens?”

Angie chuckled, “Yeah, that little old lady’s got a hand on her like a wooden two by four. Plus, I don’t ever want you guys to be ashamed of me and I just didn’t know how to tell you.”

“Okay, so that explains Wednesday, what happened last night?”

“Well, Wednesday night…I kinda got sick…”

“Sick? From what?”

“I was thinking of maybe breaking it off with Peggy and I got a little drunk.”

“What?! Oh Jesus, Angie! Why would you be thinking of doing that, because she got arrested? We said, it wasn’t her fault, it was that Howard Stark’s! Wait, did you say you got _ubriaca_?”

“See? You see? Now you’re disappointed in me…”

“Hey, hey, no…wait…not disappointed, darling, just a little…surprised is all,” Mrs. Martinelli, said trying to remove any trace of disappointment from her voice. After all, Angie _was_ of age and she had her own mind, she didn’t have to tell her mother everything. And probably didn’t, of course, but she tried not to think about that too much. “Who made the drinks? No wait, let me guess,” Mrs. Martinelli smiled sarcastically. “My old buddy, Aunt Freddy, right?”

“Well…”

“Yeah, I know, you don’t wanna be a rat, but don’t worry, you don’t have to say anything, I know it was him.”

“It was my fault, really, Ma. After he and I talked and I made the decision to stay with Peggy, I thought I was relieved, and I kept putting on these really good jazz records and dancing. I kept telling him to make martinis,” Angie said, her stomach getting a little queasy as she thought of the drinks.

“Ooh, gin is a killer the next day.”

“Exactly, so I didn’t really wanna call you then, I figured when I fully recovered, which was today, I’d call and tell you. By the way, I’m really sorry I got mad at you.”

“That’s okay, sweetheart, you know I one time stopped talking to my mother for a whole hour.”

Angie laughed at that. “Oh, is that all?”

“Yeah, but that woman’s a saint, so…” She started laughing too. “But really, I…there was a time that…”

Angie knew immediately what time she was talking about and said, “Ma, don’t worry, you were doing what you thought was right, you weren’t yourself.”

“No, I wasn’t, and sometime we’ll talk about it, like you said, when we’re together.”

“Okay, you got it,” Angie said, grateful her mother would want to share that with her.

“Listen, are you and Peggy coming Sunday?”

“Yes, I just confirmed with her this morning before she left for work.”

Mrs. Martinelli was pleasantly surprised that Peggy would go back to them, “She’s still gonna work for them after all that, huh?”

“Yeah, she is, Ma. At least, until she heads her own outfit.”

“Which one?”

“Who knows, but I know she’s probably not gonna get the true respect she deserves and she’ll probably have to go out on her own.”

“Competing with the government?”

“How do I know? I’m just saying what I feel.”

“Angie, sometimes your notions are a little too…” She raised her hand up towards the ceiling and circled the air with her finger. “…high up there.”

“Yeah, well if we don’t have goals and ambitions where would we be?”

“Okay, Knute Rockne, I get it, you don’t have to go into a big speech about how we’re gonna win one for the ‘Gipper’ and all that jazz.”

Angie laughed, “Alright, I’ll get down off my soap box. Do you want us to bring anything for Sunday?”

“Nope, just your darling selves…” Mrs. Martinelli trailed off and Angie knew she was trying to say or ask something that she had to first work out in her head. “You were really thinking about giving up Peggy?”

“For about an hour and a half,” Angie said, with a smirk.

“But darling, I really like her…”

“I know, Ma, I know. I do too, ya know. Like a lot.”

“So, what made you wanna do it?”

“I just thought maybe, ya know, her job was too important and I wasn’t important enough to be there helping with all that.”

“Oh, my sweetheart, who ever put in your head that you weren’t important? Certainly not me or your father. You gotta stop being so hard on yourself, Angela. Madonna mia,” Mrs. Martinelli looked at the statue of the Virgin Mary that was in the middle of her vanity table. “What am I gonna do with this girl?”

“Ma, don’t get yourself into a state, I know, I just have some confidence issues.”

“Pffft, what confidence issues? I’ve seen you on stage, after learning your lines that very morning, run rings, _rings_ ,” she practically yelled. “…around anything that I’ve ever seen on Broadway.”

“Ma, there are some people, very famous and who make a lot of money that are practically basket cases off stage.”

“Yeah, but they’re probably drug takers.”

“You don’t think that maybe they take those drugs because of the fright that they feel?”

“Oh, see? Now you’re going too deep for me…”

Angie chuckled at that.

“How’s Pop?” she asked.

“He’s good, he just went to work, everything is plugging along. Oh…hey…I have a question…”

“What?”

“Now I know you don’t like to give up a confidence, but…you think anything is going on between Rachael and Vinny?”

“Why, what do you think is going on?” Angie asked, not really wanting to spoil anything for her brother.

“I don’t know…”

“But ya know…”

“Yeah, exactly…”

“I think maybe they’re kinda dating, but he wouldn’t really say the other night.”

“Why would he want to keep it a secret?” Mrs. Martinelli asked, a little hurt evident in her voice.

“I don’t know, Ma,” Angie said, sincerely.

“All I ever tell you kids is to come and talk to me, you can tell me anything. Have I ever said different?”

“You told me I shouldn’t tell what I was…”

“Hey, that was because you were going around and telling everyone including the cop on the street and then nuns and priests. Maybe in ten, fifteen years it’ll be different and you can shout it from the hills, but I didn’t want no one treating my baby any different.”

Angie’s heart swelled with love for her mother. “Thanks, Ma.”

“What I’d like to know is why yas then go and think that you can’t talk to me?”

“I think what he said to me was that he didn’t know if it was going anywhere yet and he wanted to see before he said anything. Plus…”

“What?”

“Well, he didn’t say this, but maybe he thinks you wouldn’t be too happy because she’s divorced.”

“So what?”

“Well, you _are_ Catholic, Ma.”

“And since when have you seen me in Church recently?”

“I just thought that was about the dispute you had with Father Haney.”

“There is that, yes, but it’s also because I think they’re being very heavy handed with their rules. It’s one thing to believe in Jesus and God. It’s another to say that my son can’t marry a woman because she’s divorced.”

“And Jewish.”

“She’s Jewish?” Mrs. Martinelli asked, a little surprised.

“Yeah, you didn’t know?”

“I didn’t really think, I mean, I know Dr. Fetzer was, but I never thought of what she was. She doesn’t look Jewish.”

“Ma!” Angie scolded her mother. “What does ‘looking Jewish’ mean?!”

“No, now, wait a minute, you got me all wrong, I mean…with her coloring I thought she looked maybe Irish or Scottish or something. You know, the green eyes, the red hair.”

“You know, Ma, Jews come from places that have blond hair and blue eyes,” she thought of herself and her maternal grandmother. “Italians too.”

“Okay, so I’m not as smart and worldly as you, but I’m not…come si chiama…”

“Prejudice,” Angie said.

“That’s it! Prejudice. I’m not one of those people.”

“I’m just making sure.”

“Hey, don’t tell Vin I said she didn’t look Jewish, huh? I’m sorry I said it that way and I don’t want him to think bad of me. You know I’m not like that…”

“How much you gonna pay me?” Angie asked, mischeviously.

“I’ll give you a slap to your culo! That’s what I’ll pay you back with, you scooch!”

Angie laughed and then looked at the clock.

“Okay, Ma, don’t worry your prejudice secret is safe with me.”

“Hey, don’t be so fresh!” She laughed.

“I gotta run, I told Mal I’d be in by noon.”

“That mean you’re working late tonight?”

“No, as a matter of fact I’m getting off by five. Peggy and I are going to look at a place to live.”

“I thought you had one now?” Her mother asked.

“This is just temporary, Stark is offering to put us up in a different place.”

“How many places does this guy got?”

“He’s loaded, Ma, what else is he gonna do with his money? Real estate is a great investment, isn’t that what you told us when you wanted to move to Queens?”

“Don’t use my logic back on me. Hey, from what I hear, he gives all his exes a diamond bracelet. I better not see you and Peggy wearing one of those.”

“Ma!” Angie exclaimed, disdainfully. “Do you even know what you’re saying?”

Her mother laughed like a child that had gotten away from their parent and was taunting them from up the road.

“You’re not the only one who likes to play.”

“You’re terrible,” Angie said, smiling.

“Well, after you see this place, give me a call, I’d like to know how it is.”

“I will, give Pop and Vin my love.”

“I will, darling, you do the same with Peggy.”

“I will.” Angie added sincerely. “I love you, thanks for not being mad at me.”

“What’s there to be mad at, Pip?”

“Nothing at the moment, because I’m such a good girl,” Angie smirked. “But thanks anyway.”

“You’re welcome, see ya Sunday at 2:30”

“Okay, see you then. Love you.”

“Love you too, sweetheart.”

*****

As Peggy made her way into the office, she was surprised at the ovation she was getting from her fellow SSR agents, one even extended his hand for a congratulatory shake.

When she was almost at her desk, Thompson and Sousa were in her path, smiling and clapping and Thompson, establishing himself as the boss, greeted her with a comment about how early she was, as if she always came in late. She was surprised he even clapped, but she wasn’t lying when she told Angie that she didn’t need it.

After Thompson made his attempts at apologizing for his actions (couched as telling Sousa she’d be back working for them) he was called over by one of the Senators from Washington who just showed up at the office, bellowing for him. Apparently, he was there to congratulate him and his team on a job well done and took him over to the office for phone call with the President.

Sousa was livid that Thompson took all the credit and didn’t set the brass straight on who really was behind the great outcome of their job. He was also upset that Thompson didn’t credit him with saving his life. He was disappointed in Peggy for not speaking up to set the Senator straight and told her he was going to go tell him what they had done, himself.

“I don’t need a congressional honor; I don’t need Agent Thompson’s approval or the President’s,” she said, thinking of her discussion with Angie that morning. “I know my value…anyone else’s opinion doesn’t really matter.”

Sousa asked her out for a drink that evening, and knowing that she had plans with Angie, she turned him down by saying she was meeting a friend. When that friend’s face, popped into her head, she smiled and looked over at the back of his head as he went back to his desk, wondering if she’d tell him one day who that friend was to her. She decided she would and soon, so that she didn’t have to keep lying to him, so that he would move on to someone else.

He wasn’t such a bad chap, Sousa, just barking up the wrong tree.

*****

“There she is, the prodigal waitress, returned!” Mal said, dramatically, as Angie came in the revolving door.

She was surprised to see some changes to the place, she didn’t realize it was that busted up, but it must have been for him to change some of the layout to the booths and tables.

“Heya kid!” Myra said, smiling at her. “Don’t mind him, he’s all giddy because he put in a claim with the government and they paid out fast.”

“What claim? I heard it was just some dishes and a water jug that were busted.”

“A few tables and booths too, Angie…” Mal said, and the look on his face told her he was lying.

Myra lowered her voice and talked out of the side of her mouth as Angie walked past her. “I’m writin’ it all down, and if he so much as puts a foot wrong, I’m sendin’ him up the river.”

Angie shook her head and chuckled.

“Is Carla here?”

“Angie!” Carla said, as she came out of the back. She ran up and hugged her. “I’m so happy to see you!” She put her arm around her and steered her into the kitchen passed the cook station.

“Hi Junie,” Angie said, smiling at her.

Junie waved and gave her a thumbs up.

“So,” Carla said, as they got into the changing room portion of the backroom. “How did things go last night?” she asked, with an excited smile on her face.

Angie laughed and punched her shoulder.

“Hey, such a brute,” Carla said, rubbing the area Angie punched.

“ _Things_ went great, as a matter of fact. We talked about why I was thinking of leaving her, she apologized for keeping stuff from me and she told me about Steve and her roommate before me.”

“Ooh, what’s that look for?”

“What look?”

“You had a look when you said, ‘her roommate before’, was it…”

“What?”

“A,” Carla looked around the locker to see if anyone was coming into the room. She lowered her voice and asked, “…lover?”

“No, it was a girl who worked in a factory, she was just a nice person who asked Peg to room with her when she first got here.”

“So…what, is that why she didn’t want to move in with you at the Griffith, because she had a roommate already?”

Angie shook her head and thought about not telling Carla what she knew.

“Oh, Jesus, Angie, I know you’re weighing in your head whether to tell me or not, but you gotta give me something, my mind is going in all sorts of wild directions like-”

“She died…killed in their apartment…Peggy blames herself because the guy was after her, because of her work.”

“…that.” Carla finished her sentence and pointed at her. Her face took on a sympathetic look, “Oh Ange,” She crossed herself. “Died? How?”

“Shot through the head.”

“Oh, Madonna…” Carla brought her hand up to her mouth.

“I can understand if you don’t want to move in with us…” Angie said, but hoping she wouldn’t change her mind.

“Hey, I didn’t say that, I mean…I do have to give it some thought, but I’m not saying anything until I weigh all the pros and cons. Have you seen it?”

Angie shook her head, “Not yet, we go tonight.”

“Oh, right.”

“I mean, if we even move in there, ya know? If it’s not a great spot, we won’t take it,” Angie shrugged.

“True,” Carla agreed.

“But it would be nice.”

“It would, Carla said, thinking. “Ya know, Millionaire like Stark you figure, should have good security, no?”

“He would, he would,” Angie agreed, quickly. She really wanted Carla to be open to it. She couldn’t explain it really, but besides wanting to help Carla and her mom, she also wanted someone she knew and trusted to be there with them. Just because Peggy would probably be working a lot of late nights, and Angie would also be going out on auditions that would take up a lot of her time and she didn’t want Peggy or herself to be alone in what she pictured to be a big place. Especially, if the apartment, that they were currently staying in, were any indication.

“Okay, well, if you guys decide to live there and when I have some time, I’ll come see it and we’ll see.”

“Good, ‘we’ll see’ is good.”

Carla moved her head towards the kitchen and said, “You see the new stuff out there?”

“Yeah, Mal put in a claim with the government?”

Carla nodded, knowingly, “This big chooch is playing with fire, they also put in a fancy new stove.”

“How did he do that? What did he say to convince them Peggy broke it?”

“He told them that when they came in, he got startled and it caused the old one to malfunction, so they gave him the money for the new one. He probably put the old one in his house so his mother can practice being a line cook for him.”

Angie shook her head, picturing it.

“Okay, well, I’ll let you get ready, I gotta get out there,” Carla nodded in the direction of the door.

“You thought about what I said about secretary school?” Angie asked.

“I did and if we can make it work, I’ll quit this place. I probably can work nights somewhere closer to home, wherever that maybe,” Carla smiled at her and Angie returned it with a sincere smile.

“Carla!” They both jumped as they heard Mal shout for her.

“But in the mean-time…” she thumbed towards the door with a disdainful look in her eyes. “Palookaville.”

Angie laughed.

*****

Later that night, Peggy and Angie stood open mouthed at the building Jarvis brought them to. They both just stood looking up at it for a few moments, as Jarvis rattled off some information about the building itself.

“Four story, limestone and brick building done in the Italian Renaissance style-”

“What is it?” Angie asked, cutting him off. “Some kinda museum?”

“Looks like sort of a library to me…” Peggy said, equally taken aback at the ‘residence’ Howard had offered them.

“Very good, Miss Carter,” Jarvis smiled at her. “It _was_ originally built by the city to be used as a library in 1895, however, one of the shipping magnates bought it for an extraordinary sum at the time and made it into a residence. Mr. Stark bought it off of that family last year.”

Peggy and Angie looked at each other, a little frightened by the prospect of living in someplace that looked like a museum.

“Step this way ladies,” Jarvis said, as he beckoned them with his hand and stepped up to a modern looking device that had some sort of laser beam. It passed over his face and they heard the locks in the door click open.

“What the sweet, fancy Moses…” Angie asked, her words trailed off after she saw the inside of the place.

“This is the first floor, as you can see, most of the paying of calls is done here. There is a lounge through there, he pointed to it and here is the foyer where guests can mingle before going up to the ballroom or wherever they might be invited to,” he said that part pretty quickly as he probably knew that Stark only had the ladies up to his bedroom.

Angie narrowed her eyes at the back of Jarvis’ head.

“Mr. Fancy, what’s the real story here? Did Stark live here or run a speakeasy out of it…did someone die a gruesome death here, what?”

“Nothing like that, he’s done some entertaining here, but nothing like you’d think. He prefers to bring those ladies to the place you’re currently lodging in.”

Angie’s face turned down at the mouth as she looked at Peggy who was equally horrified to hear confirmation of that fact. Though, they should have known because of the roleplaying costumes.

Jarvis continued, “Through that corridor there, leads to the stairway down to the kitchens and the servant’s quarters.”

Angie spoke out of the corner of her mouth, “Why do I feel like I belong down there?”

Peggy laughed and playfully swatted her shoulder.

Jarvis turned to Angie and said, pointedly, “And here is the elevator that will take you to the upper floors which will be your residence quarters.”

Angie looked at Peggy and smiled, then shook her head. This couldn’t be real.

“Fance,” Angie said, looking at Jarvis who looked puzzled.

“I’m sorry, were you addressing me?”

“Yeah…who else?”

“Well, you said…I mean usually you address me as “Mr. Fancy”, I didn’t realize you had slightly altered the name.”

Peggy chuckled at the exchange between them. Jarvis had dealt with Howard’s bluntness for a long time, but didn’t realize that he was staring at almost a carbon copy of him, in female form. Except for the non-committal nature of Howard Stark, they could be brother and sister.

“Okay, well, sometimes I give a nickname of a nickname and sometimes even more of a nickname. Is that gonna be a problem?”

“What would the nickname of the nickname of the nickname be?”

“F,” Angie said, unblinkingly.

Jarvis looked puzzled, then pleased, then puzzled again.

“Shall we get into the elevator, dearest?” Peggy asked, trying to move this along before Jarvis’ head exploded. “Which floor do you suggest we start with, Mr. Jarvis?”

“I-I…I would suggest we start with the top, Miss Carter. That would most likely be your living quarters. Although, you might want to choose a different floor to habitate together, or different floors from each other entirely…”

Angie turned and looked at Peggy, her eyes holding an urgent question. Peggy understood and shook her head.

“I think we’d be just fine living on the same floor as each other, Mr. Jarvis.”

Angie nodded her head, trying not to do it too emphatically.

As they reached the top floor, Angie was the first to disembark the elevator.

She stood in front of the doors waiting patiently as Jarvis opened them for her. Angie’s eyes went wide, like a child seeing Santa’s workshop.

“Oh my God! Are you kiddin’ me?” she asked, as she looked around at the vastness of the room. As Jarvis expounded on the ‘quaintness’ of the home Angie remarked at how her whole apartment back in Flatbush would have fit in the room they were in now. Peggy watched delighted, as Angie took in the room and then looked back to smile at her.

“It’s a bit far from the theater district…” Peggy tried to give her some cons to see if she really wanted to live here, but she knew what the answer would be, because she also loved this place already.

“I’ll live,” Angie said dismissing her notion, then asked Jarvis, “You got a phone? I _have_ to call my mother!”

“Naturally,” Jarvis indicated in which direction the phone was in. “There’s a telephone in every room.”

Angie whipped around, “Oh my God! Are you kiddin’ me?!” she asked again and ran off, not waiting for an answer, because it wasn’t really a question.

As Jarvis remarked in the positive about Angie’s taste in the finer things, Peggy’s thoughts ever so briefly went to last night with Angie and that led her to make a remark about Howard’s predilection for casual sex on the furniture. She was really just making sure it hadn’t been done in this place and Jarvis’ silence neither gave her hope nor discouraged her.

As they spoke of what Jarvis’ planned to do with his down time, now that they didn’t have Howard’s case to investigate, he sincerely wished she would call on him in any capacity that was required of her.

And then he reached into his breast pocket and took out what looked like a vial, the very same vial she thought she had in her purse.

She wondered aloud how he had come to have it, since Howard had given it to her just yesterday.

Jarvis looked sorry for what he was about to tell her.

“So, he had two vials left?” Peggy asked, reading his thoughts.

“He did…but only this one holds Captain Rogers’ blood.”

“So, Howard that rat-”

“No, Miss Carter, he didn’t know he had given you the dummy vial. I had switched it out shortly before this whole business started…”

Peggy looked at him puzzled and Jarvis explained.

“He kept showing it to people at parties and to impress his… _friends_. I thought it best to put in a dummy so that the real one would be kept safe and not stolen. Then he didn’t mention to me that it had, in fact, been amongst the things that had been stolen from him. I think he was ashamed to tell me because I had been after him to stop being so boastful about it.”

Peggy reached out and took the vial from him.

“Thank you, Mr. Jarvis,” she said, quietly.

“You’re quite welcome, Miss Carter. I know that there is no better person to give this to, and I’m glad Mr. Stark knew that as well.”

A question sprung to Peggy’s mind, “Whose blood was in the other vial?”

Angie came up behind Peggy just as she was asking that question and looked puzzled at it and then at Jarvis, who suddenly became doubly nervous to say.

“Mr. Fancy’s…am I right?” She asked Jarvis, quirking an eyebrow.

He nodded, ashamed.

“So, I have been…”

“Mooning over Mr. Fancy’s blood for a good while now? Yep, that sounds about right,” Angie said, stroking her back for comfort.

“Risking life and limb…”

“Oh, dear…” Jarvis said.

“I got arrested…” Peggy continued.

“I told you that it wasn’t wise…”

“ _F_ ,” Angie said, warningly, walking over to him, looping her arm through his and guiding him out of the room. “Why don’t you show us the other rooms on this floor and then we’ll go down to the others, no?”

“The ledge _broke_ …” Peggy was still stuck on how she had risked her life for Jarvis’ blood.

“English,” Angie said, a little loudly over her shoulder. “Come on, let’s finish this tour,” she said, trying not to be too harsh, but needing to get through to her. “Bring Steve, don’t get him on the carpet.”

That seemed to snap Peggy out of her internal rantings.

“Quite right,” She said, and put the vial in a secure place within the zipper inside her pocketbook, taking the other vial out to give back to Jarvis, and followed them out of the room.

After seeing the rest of the house, they stood holding hands in the foyer as Jarvis went to bring the car around front.

“It’s a big place, Peg…”

“Just a little bigger than our room at the Griffith,” she said, with a playful look on her face.

“Just a tad…yes… _quaint_ this is,” Angie smiled at her.

“Carla and her mother could have a whole floor to themselves…”

Angie’s smile deepened; she had been worried that Peggy might decide not to have them as house mates.

“Which floor did you want?”

“For myself?” Peggy narrowed her eyes.

“Yeah, for yourself,” Angie said, sarcastically.

“I really quite liked the top floor, don’t you?” Peggy asked.

“I was thinking the same thing,” Angie nodded. “I feel guilty that the servants live in the basement, and that there are actual servants.”

“I think Jarvis said, a cook, a butler and a maid, I don’t think that’s too much. They do have some cleaning staff and extra support come in occasionally, but they don’t live on premises.”

“A cook, a butler and a maid,” Angie said, in her best Queen’s English. “I don’t think that’s too much, deardarlingsweetheart-est.”

Peggy narrowed her eyes; she was being mocked.

“Don’t go all daggers, honey, I’m just kidding you, but it is going to take me some to get used to. Ya know? I’m used to cleaning up after myself, cooking for myself, all that jazz.”

“We could let them go…”

“And put three people out of jobs? Not on your life. No,” Angie said, with just a little bit of mischief in her voice. “I’ll try to get over it…it _will_ be rough.”

“I’ll help you navigate through the rough patches, darling. You see? Just what life partners are for…”

Angie smiled at that, touched at the “life partners” comment. She had also brought her reason for wanting to break up with her, back in as lesson teaching, but also in such a comical way and she loved her for that.

She leaned in and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek, just in case the staff were looking.

Peggy smiled and squeezed her arm.

“How did the call go with your mother?”

“She was excited to hear how many rooms and bathrooms there were.”

“No, I meant this morning’s call.”

“Oh, that, no that went…it went well actually. I told her about why I didn’t call and tell her for two days and she didn’t get mad at me. I was surprised.”

“Why? I told you, your mother is a very level-headed and forgiving woman,” Peggy said, puzzled.

“I was mad at myself for that and I just figured she’d be the same.”

Just then they heard the beep of the car and made sure they had everything before going outside.

In the car, as they got closer to the bridge, no one said anything. Peggy and Angie, who had sat together in the back, were holding hands. Peggy was glad that Angie decided to sit in the back with her, at first she thought she might try to sit upfront with Jarvis to let Peggy be alone with her thoughts, but that wouldn’t have been what she wanted. She needed the comfort that Angie brought to her.

Almost as if she was hearing her thoughts, Angie squeezed Peggy’s hand and Peggy turned to look at her. Angie gave her an encouraging look and nod of the head.

Jarvis slowed the car and pulled over.

“Here we are, Miss Carter, take your time. If the authorities come, I’ll just pretend we have a problem with the carburetor or something.”

Peggy smiled at Angie again, this time she saw tears in her eyes and she had to look away because the tears were starting to form in her own and if she looked at Angie any longer she would blub most horribly in front of them. Not that Angie would have minded, but Jarvis wouldn’t have known what to do with himself. Angie gave her another squeeze to her hands and Peggy squeezed back, then she opened her purse, took out the vial and put it in the pocket of her coat.

Jarvis got out of the car and opened the door for her. He bent his head down as she got out and she knew he wasn’t making eye contact for the same reason she wasn’t making eye contact with Angie. The lump in her throat grew bigger in size.

It was a cool evening, the sun just going down. Peggy put her hand around the vial and felt it warm her hand. She chalked that up to just the warmth of her own hand closing around the vial but took comfort in the knowledge that spiritually, Steve was with her in that moment. When she got near the middle of the bridge, she took the vial out and held it up to the light, letting him see Brooklyn one more time.

She opened the vial and poured it out, saying a quiet, “Goodbye, my darling.” And let the tears fall freely. She looked over at Brooklyn and felt a heart full of love, for the man that Steve was and for the woman that Angie is. She thought that maybe she should feel guilt for thinking of Angie in this moment, but she couldn’t help it, she would always love and honor Steve, but she had to live her life, as he would have had to live his, had the tables been turned and she was the one to die last year. After a few more moments looking out at Brooklyn and down at the river, she made her way back to the car.

“She’s coming back, F, make sure you’re not looking.”

“Not to worry, Miss Martinelli, I won’t even _think_ about looking.”

“Good,” Angie said and settled back into the seat. “Also, in the future, you might see some girl on girl kisses that your very proper British upbringing didn’t prepare you for. I hope that won’t be a problem?”

Jarvis was a little shocked at her bluntness, but then thought back to one particular night that Mr. Stark had inadvertently gave him the wrong location that he’d be in and when he went to the house that he thought he would redo the bookshelves in, he got a big surprise as he saw two female guests of Howard’s engaged in a passionate kissing session that gave him blushes for the rest of that week.

He blushed now, just from Angie’s frank manner of telling him that they were a couple, but he put her at ease.

“I can assure you, Miss Martinelli, I will not look and I will discreetly look askance if I happen to see any kisses, will that be sufficient?”

Angie shrugged, “You do what you need to, I mean, it’s not like we’re going to do anything scandalous in front of you, I just mean-”

“Say no more, I understand, completely. You should have no concerns with me, Miss Martinelli,” Jarvis said, as he smiled in the rear view at her.

“Alright then,” Angie said, smiling back at him.

Peggy opened the door and slid into the back seat, giving a sigh and wishing she had brought her handkerchief with her. She let out a small laugh when Angie held one up to her, without looking.

“Thank you, dearest. Why are we always without one of these?” she asked, as she took it and wiped her eyes and blew her nose. After she was done, she folded the handkerchief and put it in her coat pocket.

“You’re welcome,” Angie said, quietly.

Peggy reached out for Angie’s hand, and sat quietly, squeezing it for comfort every so often as they made their way back into the West Village to their new home.

*****

“Gesu Crist…” Carla said, as she walked into the building, after Angie had just told her the whole building was for them and not just an apartment in it.

“Carla,” her mother scolded her.

“What, Ma?”

“You say such things in front of these impressionable girls?”

Angie broke out into a wide smile and looked at Peggy, who smiled and looked at the ground.

“Ma, don’t worry, they’ve heard and said things…it would make Jesus put his fingers in his ears and go straight to church.”

“No…” Mrs. Scotti playfully swatted at her daughter’s arm. “They’re too good, no girls?”

Angie spoke up without hesitation, “Exactly, I’ve never even heard any bad words…you Peg?”

“Definitely not,” Peggy said, with a wry grin.

“Yas are goin’ to hell for lying, but whatever,” Carla said, then looked around in awe again. “…this place…this _whole_ place?”

“This whole place,” Angie said, and braced herself as she watched Carla come flailing and squealing to her with her arms wide and picked up Angie, spinning her once around.

“Ooh, sorry, Ange, got carried away,” she looked at Peggy, worried that such a display of affection on her girlfriend would make her mad. Peggy laughed and pulled Carla into a hug. “Peg…it’s just…so huge…”

“I know, and this is just the first floor,” Peggy said, “just wait until you see the others.”

Angie smiled at Carla, “You get your pick of any of the floors you want to live on…Peggy and I have kinda already picked the top floor.”

“We’ll see, no?” Carla’s mother, said. “Are there stairs to go up?”

“There are, but…” Angie pointed to the doors just across the room from them. “…over there is an elevator.”

Carla’s mouth hung open.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Carla said. “I mean, this might be…”

“ _Too_ fancy?”

“I feel bad even walking on these floors,” Carla said, looking down at the highly polished marble.

Peggy quickly jumped in to help, “The upper floors are not as ‘fancy’, Carla, don’t make any rash decisions based on this one floor.”

“Peg’s right, Car, I mean…God knows I’m not worthy of this floor, but this place is right around the corner from your current place, so you don’t have to move too far and feel like you’re losing your friends and shops you like to go to.”

“These ladies speak the truth, Carla, mia bella, let’s go see the other rooms, no?”

As they toured the other floors, Carla and her mother both agreed that the second floor would be for them, leaving the first and third floors for their communal living quarters.

On their walk around the neighborhood, Peggy was pointing out all of the shops and nice buildings to Mrs. Scotti while Angie and Carla walked a little bit behind them.

“Ange, I can’t thank you enough for this, I saw a little restaurant right on the corner across the street from the place was looking for some help, I can probably work there at night and go to school in the day…” Carla’s face was looking brighter already.

“I know, Car, and just down the street there’s a little theater that holds auditions for off-Broadway plays pretty regularly, I’m gonna check it out on my day off.”

“I’m handing in my notice as soon as I have things settled, how about you?”

“Monday, I’m gonna hand it my two weeks’ notice.”

“Kinda scary, huh?”

“Not really, I feel like this is the start of something really great, ya know?”

“You’re right,” Carla sighed, a little sadly.

“What is it, hon? You don’t have to move in if you don’t-”

“No! Nothin’ like that, it’s just me bein’ a sap, you know?”

“About what?”

“Well, like, I’m gonna miss Junie and even though Myra can be a pain in the _derrière_ sometimes, I think I’ll miss her, too.”

“True, “Angie said, “but maybe we can do lunch on the weekends when we’re all not busy. Ya know, once in a while.”

“That’d be nice.”

“We’re gonna have a lot of fun around here, I think,” Angie said, passing by a little jazz club that was currently closed, but advertising that it would be open that night.

“It’s a wonderful area for you artist types, and like you said, Little Italy is right around the corner. I think it’s so great, I’m just so thankful you thought of me and my mother…”

“I’ve said, it before, Car, you’ve done so much for me these past few weeks, I just thought I could help you out this way, being sisters and all,” Angie said, smiling as Carla put her arm around her and gave her a hug from the side.

“So, how soon can we move in?” Carla asked.

“Whenever you want, how’s tomorrow sound?”

“I can’t believe it’s all happening so quickly!” Carla said, excitedly. “Ooh, how am I gonna get a moving truck on a Sunday?”

“Well,” Angie said, knowingly. “I just so happened to have an uncle, with a van who is coming to dinner tomorrow and he can probably stop by yours and pick up whatever you can pack, then we can help you over the next week or two and bring the rest.”

“That’ll be wonderful!” Carla squeezed Angie again. “Oh, by the way, speaking of your uncles, they had us to dinner last night, Ma’s in love with both of them. She never looked so happy since before Pa died, they’re really great guys.”

“I know, they’ll be at Ma’s for dinner tomorrow, why don’t you and your mother come with after we get your stuff situated.”

Carla nodded, “That would be great. The good thing is that we don’t have much really, we sold most of the good furniture after my father…ya know and then the new landlord wanted to raise the rent, so we sold him the rest. It’ll just really be our clothes and pictures and stuff.”

“A clean slate,” Angie said.

“The cleanest.”

As they made their way back to their new home, they didn’t see it, but they were being watched by someone who concealed a recent head injury under a scarf.

*****

“Bobby! I’m so glad you could come, and you brought our lovely guests,” Mrs. Martinelli said, kissing her brother-in-law and then shaking Carla and her mother’s hands. “Come in, come in, please make yourselves at home,” she indicated towards the living room where they could sit on the sofa. She then greeted her daughter and Peggy, “My darling, Angie and the lovely Peggy, welcome my loves, come in. Freddy, I’ve got a bone to pick with you…” she said to him, pointing her finger in his face as he tried to hide behind Peggy.

“Lucy, please, I paid for what I did, ten times over,” he said, holding his stomach and his head to indicate how sick he had been.

“I’ll let it slide for now…” she narrowed her eyes at him and then brightedned suddenly and said, “Come on in, everybody, please. Have some anti past’, it’s just a little somethin’ to tide yas over…” She pointed towards the table that she had laid out buffet style. “We’re grilling later, since it’s such a nice day out, we figured we’d have a picnic style dinner.”

“Whatever you want to do, my darling, is just fine with me,” Freddy said, taking Lucy’s hand and putting a kiss on it.

“Oh, you charmer you,” Lucy said, with a pleased smile on her face.

“Did you need any help preparing anything, Mrs. Martinelli?” Carla asked, as she was making up a plate for her and her mother.

“Not a thing, Carla, thank you, you just go sit with your appetizers and enjoy yourselves.”

“Eyyyyyy!” Mr. Martinelli exclaimed, as he came from down in the cellar with bottles of fresh wine. He set them on the table and went over to Freddy, who he pretended to punch in the stomach with both fists and then pulled him into a hug. “Finally, this ubatz comes to see us, Lu!” He said, pulling out of the hug and looking into Freddy’s face with a giant smile that suddenly went concerned.

“What, what is it? My bald spot is shiny, isn’t it?” Freddy started to shield the front of his head from being seen.

Mr. Martinelli still held him in his arms and said dramatically, “You look so old now…”

Mrs. Martinelli, Freddy, Angie and Bobby laughed, the others, Peggy included were a little more reluctant to laugh, but Angie could see Peggy was dying to let it out. She wished she could tell her to just let go, but she knew it would embarrass her.

“You jerk,” Freddy said and Mr. Martinelli gave him a kiss on his cheek.

“You love me when I’m a jerk,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows at him.

“You’re right,” Freddy said and kissed him on the lips.

“Oh, hey! That’s my husband!” Uncle Bobby, mock exclaimed.

Angie was worried that Carla’s mother would be horrified by the display between her father and uncles and she wasn’t sure how she was going to take the news that they were married.

She looked over and saw her smiling delightedly, she smiled at Angie and said, “They’re such a fun couple!”

Carla looked at Angie and smiled knowingly. Her look told her all she needed to know, her mother was okay with her uncles being who they were, she forgot that Carla and her mother ate there Friday night and probably saw the full “Bobby and Freddy” show on display.

“Hey, Lucy, where’s Vinny?” Bobby asked.

“He and Rachael took Millie down to the park; they’ll be back soon.”

“Is she why he doesn’t want to come up to Martha’s Vineyard with us in the summer?” Bobby said, and nudged Lucy with his elbow.

“I don’t know yet, he hasn’t said…but we’ll see,” she smiled.

“Look at you, proud Mama, all your kids finally getting settled,” Bobby squeezed her from the side.

Peggy looked at Angie and lifted her eyebrows in a pleased manner, she was still surprised yet grateful that Angie’s family was okay with everything. It gave her goosebumps.

“They’re good kids, what can I say?” Lucy smiled at Angie and she took her hand, then looked over at Carla’s mother. “Just like with you, you raised good kids, too.”

“Oh, yeah, the best,” Mrs. Scotti said, and put her hand on Carla’s knee, giving it a squeeze. “Angie’s a great girl, you did a really good job there.”

Mr. Martinelli pointed at Angie, “Who this one? No, she was raised in the trees with the monkeys.”

“Pop!”

“Noooo,” Mrs. Scotti, came to Angie’s defense. “She and her friend here,” she indicated towards Peggy. “…they’re the best kind of people to be friends with my Carla.” She nodded her head emphatically. “…and I should know…I’ve known a lot of people in my life.”

Carla put a hand on her mother’s hand and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. She knew it was her way of excepting what Peggy and Angie were to each other, they had had a small conversation about it the day before, as a matter of fact, when Carla was marveling at how big the floor they had to themselves was and her mother had said she felt bad because Peggy and Angie were sharing a floor, Carla had said, without thinking, “They’re really not upset about it, Ma.”

Her mother went quiet for a minute and then said finally, “So she’s like her uncles?”

“Is that a problem?” Carla asked, not looking at her mother. She was hoping it wouldn’t be, because she really loved it here.

“Not with me, they’re good people,” she said, and went quiet for another few moments. “Are they gonna keep a separate room made up at least, so Angie’s parents don’t get suspicious?”

“They know, Ma.”

Mrs. Scotti looked impressed.

After a few more minutes of unpacking in silence, Mrs. Scotti asked, “Carla…are you-”

“No, Ma…but would it make a difference?”

“Not one bit, but…ya know if you are…”

“What?”

“Just don’t flaunt it.”

Carla laughed and then asked, “What is _that_ supposed to mean?”

“You know…get a crew cut, chew tobacco…”

“Aunt Mary used to chew tobacco…are you sayin’…”

“No, that one loved men…and tobacco,” Mrs. Scotti shrugged.

“Hey, I’m not…but if I want to get a crew cut and chew tobacco, I’m doin’ it,” Carla said, defiantly.

“Do what you want,” her mother said, with another shrug. “What am I gonna do?”

After a few more minutes of silence, her mother said, “You’ve got good friends, Carla and you’re a good friend to them, I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you, Mama,” Carla said, with a smile and finished putting the clothes in the bureau for her mother and then went over to her for a big hug.

*****

After Vinny, Rachael and Millie came back from the park, the party had largely moved out to the backyard, where Mr. Martinelli got the grill ready and started to pass around the beers.

“Peggy, we got some real English ale coming later, Francis is bringin’ a keg,” he said with a wink. “But in the meantime, you want one of these to tide you over?”

“No, I’ll wait for the real stuff,” Peggy winked back. “Thanks.”

“Francis is coming?” Angie asked.

“Yeah, he asked if he could bring his sister, I didn’t think you’d mind…”

“No, I don’t mind, I…”

“He said, you keep forgetting to go visit,” her father quirked an eyebrow at her, but his smile said he wasn’t mad at her. 

“Hey!” Mrs. Martinelli said, as she jumped to Angie’s defense. “She’s been busy; right Ange?” Before Angie had a chance to respond her mother lowered her voice and said, “But you should go see your old friends once in a while, sweetheart.”

“I know, Ma, I know. I’m not trying to avoid anyone…”

“I didn’t say you were trying to avoid anyone…”

Peggy knew tensions were starting to run a little higher than they both intended so she tried to steer the conversation in a different direction.

“Millie, I’m so glad I was able to come out here today, will we be reading later?”

“If you want, Peggy. My mom said you and Angie could come read to me before I had to go to bed.”

“If you don’t mind,” Rachael said. “I haven’t had a chance to ask you.”

“Not at all,” Peggy said, quickly. “Quite the contrary, I was told I would be made an honorary member in the ‘Words and Music’ club today.”

“Well, you would be a regular member,” Millie said. “Boys can’t really join, so people like Vinny and Mr. Martinelli and his brother are honorary members.”

“Oh, I see, that sounds fair.”

“I wanted it to be all girls, but Angie made me change it.”

“Really,” Peggy looked at Angie who shrugged at her. “Why?” she asked Millie.

“Because she said that it wasn’t right that women ask to be able to do anything or go anywhere that a man can, and then we’d be shutting them out of our club.”

Peggy looked impressed at Angie, who smiled.

“Though, sometimes it’s good to just be alone with the girls,” Rachael said and Mrs. Martinelli agreed.

“Oh, now you’re throwin’ us all out?” Mr. Martinelli asked, winking at Carla.

“No, of course not,” Mrs. Martinelli said, quickly. “Who would grill the food?” she looked at Mrs. Scotti and shrugged and everyone laughed.

Later, after Francis and his sister Carys came with the keg and the party was in full swing, Vinny finally was able to talk to get Angie’s attention.

“Hey, Ange, I was hopin’ I could get a couple moments alone with you.”

“Sure, Vin, is everything alright?”

“I wrote, something and I’d like you to read it.”

“You wrote something?” Angie said, excitedly. “Like what?”

“Like a play.”

“Oh, my God, Vinny! Are you kiddin’ me?!”

“Shhh,” he said, trying to get her to quiet down. “I haven’t told anyone else yet…”

“Are you gonna be shoppin’ it around to the different producers?”

He shook his head.

“Then what?” she asked.

“Well, I got to thinking, you’ve been auditioning for all these other things and not having much luck and the most fun you and I ever had as kids was doing those shows in the backyard.”

“Oh my God, Vinny, you’re not saying…”

“Nothing definitive yet, but Uncle Bobby and Aunt Freddy think they can find enough money to back it…if you want to do a show.”

“Where the hell would we stage it?” She looked around the backyard.

“Not here, ya chooch,” he laughed. “We saw that little theater by your new place. We’re gonna go talk to the owner Wednesday. If you decide you want to do it that is…”

“But what about, ya know, like agents and stuff? Doesn’t the union have a say in all that?”

“Uncle Bobby’s got contacts and they can help.”

“Vin…” Angie said, her eyes getting big.

“Just wait until you read it to make a commitment,” Vinny said.

Francis who had been talking with Peggy and Carys said, “Hey, what are youse two conspiring about over there?”

Vinny spoke up, still smiling at Angie, “Not conspiring, right Ange?”

Angie smiled at her brother, “Not conspiring at all.”

“Peggy,” Francis said, pointing at her before finishing off his pint of ale. He got up and refilled his pint, along with hers and Mr. Martinelli’s. “Did they tell you the time that Angie carried Jack like a mile back from the ballfield after Louie hit him in the face with the bat?”

Peggy looked at Angie and her eyebrows were up, questioningly, Angie just shrugged, but she had a small smile on her lips, slightly embarrassed that she was being talked about.

“No, I had not heard that one yet. Thank you,” she said, as Francis gave her back her pint glass before sitting back down next to her. “Why in God’s name did Louie hit Jack in the face with a bat?”

“That jerk didn’t know how to play baseball, he just kept buying his way onto teams. Anyway, this one day Vinny’s not home, he’s somewhere who knows,” Francis said, waving his hand, indicating he was far off. “So, Louie sees Angie and Jack going to play ball in the park and he tags along. It was early on a Saturday, no one else was really around. Right Ange?”

Angie nodded at him, pleased to see him so happy to tell this story even if she did feel a bit embarrassed about it.

Francis continued, “So, Angie’s pitching and Jack’s catching, Louie’s up at bat and Angie kept tellin’ him that he was crowdin’ the plate. Right?” He looked at Angie for confirmation.

“He was too far back, not really crowding it so much as just standing too close to Jack.”

“Yeah, that’s it, so first pitch, he takes, second pitch he wiffs and Jack barely makes it out of the way of the bat…Angie says she doesn’t want to play if he’s going to keep standing that close to Jack, so what does he do next, Ange?”

“He moved up a little,” Angie answered.

“He moves up a little, and she’s warmed up so she burns one in there, _foom_ , this jerk doesn’t even move, said he had somethin’ in his eye and wants a do over. So, Jack, the diplomat, lets him have his do over. Next pitch comes in, _foom_ , same thing, says he still had problems with his eye and he wasn’t ready, then he’s finally ready, she burns two more in there, _foom_ , _foom_. That last one, he swung late on and the nutshow instantly gets so mad that he was struck out by a girl, he brings the bat back the other way and catches Jack right between the eyes, _bam_!”

Angie watched as Peggy’s mouth dropped open.

“That must have _really_ hurt!” Peggy said, affronted. Her recent knowledge of getting hit by a baseball bat was fresh in her mind, and while they hurt, they hadn’t been smack dab in the middle of her eyes.

“It’s a miracle the nose and skull weren’t broken, so Jackie’s rollin’ around on the ground, Angie’s yellin’ at Louie to go get help and trying to console Jack, but the jerk just runs off and hides in the woods. No one’s in the park and she’s gotta carry him like a mile until he can finally manage to walk, but now he can’t hardly see because his nose and forehead above the bridge of the nose got so freakishly big…he looked like one of them…Nea…what is it…Nea…” Francis looked at Mr. Martinelli who just shrugged.

“Neanderthals,” Angie said.

“That’s it,” Francis said. “Neanderthal. Big protruding forehead. So he’s leanin’ on her and bleeding like a stuck pig, no one stopped to help, until finally, someone up on the Avenue helped her carry him the rest of the way home and then we got him to the doctor.”

“Blood stains all over her favorite blouse,” Vinny said, shaking his head.

“I shouldn’t have worn it to go play ball,” Angie shrugged.

“Peggy,” Francis said. “You need a top up?” He was holding up his own glass that was now empty.

Peggy was snapped out of her reverie of stealing glances at Angie and wondering about what else she didn’t know about this brave, strong woman.

“No, thank you, Francis. I’ve got a book club meeting in a bit. Have to be sharp for it,” she said, catching Angie’s eye and smiling.

“Oh, yes, we better get going, Rachael’s probably going to be shuffling Millie off to bed soon. Where did they go?” Angie asked Vinny.

“They’re in the parlor, Pop’s playing Millie some of those new jazz records we got.”

“They’ve started the music part without us, Peg!” Angie got up suddenly and took Peggy’s hand, leading her back into the house and into the parlor.

They said a quick hello to Mrs. Martinelli and Rachael who were sitting at the table, having a serious get-to-know-each-other discussion by the look on Rachael’s face. Peggy’s heart went out to her, even though it wasn’t really that bad, it was still a little nerve wracking.

“Sorry, Ma, Rach…they’ve started the club without us!” Angie said, still pulling Peggy along.

“Ooh, yeah, you better hurry! I heard your father put on some good music just a bit ago.”

“Oh, there they go,” Mr. Martinelli, said, indicating to Peggy and Angie who had just showed up in the parlor. “C’mon, we only just started. Go sit by your uncles and Carys there.”

“Hiya Carys,” Angie said, patting the younger woman’s leg as she sat down. “School out for you guys yet?”

“Almost, we’ve got another couple of weeks…”

“How’s everything going?” Angie smiled at her; they didn’t get a chance to talk too much earlier.

“It’s going okay…but…I wonder if maybe we could talk later,” Carys looked around at everyone. “Or another day maybe?”

“Yeah, sure, I mean, you need to talk now? We could go to my old room…”

“No, that’s okay, I don’t want to take you away from everyone. It’s fine.”

“Carys, really, it’s not a big deal.”

“I appreciate it, but really, Angie, this isn’t a big deal either, I just need some advice. We can talk later, besides, I’m having fun listening to your dad’s music recommendations.”

“Okay, but before you and Francis leave, we’ll talk.”

“Okay.”

Peggy reached down in between the two of them and touched Angie’s hand, trying to convey how much she appreciated her. Angie didn’t want to call attention to the interaction, but a small smile popped up on her lips and she caressed the skin of Peggy’s hand lightly in return.

After they listened to two more records, Rachael came into the parlor and stood up against the door, Vinny was just behind her.

“I’m sorry to have to steal away one of the people of the music part of the club, but it’s getting late and it’s already past someone’s bedtime.”

Millie said, “You better get going Uncle Bobby, my Mom says it’s past your bedtime.”

Everyone in the room laughed.

“Actually, it really is starting to get past my bedtime. This one here,” he pointed to Freddy. “Needs to get me home so I don’t fall asleep on my feet during rehearsals tomorrow.”

Francis who popped his head in the room said, “Oh, yeah your show opens next week, doesn’t it?”

“It does,” Bobby stood up and smoothed his jacket down with his hands. “Do you need tickets?”

“Oh no, sir, we have ‘em already, but thank you for the offer, bunch of guys from the bar, we all pooled money together…”

“I’ll have to stop by your establishment sometime, Francis, I hear good things.”

“Oh, wow, you would class the place right up!” Francis said, with a genuine smile on his face.

“Freddy, darling, we’re taking Carla and her mother home, I hope you don’t mind sitting in the back, I’d love to get to know Mrs. Scotti a little better,” Bobby said, in his very charming way and took her arm.

“Carla, you’re going?” Angie said, disappointed. “You’ll miss the book part of the club.”

“I know, but Ma’s tired and I’m gonna do some more arranging of our place. Besides, this way you ladies get to stay longer.”

“Okay, hon,” Angie said, and hugged her.

After they were gone, Francis said, “Carys, you ready? Granny Morison will tan our hides if we’re late.”

Angie spoke up quickly, “We can take her home Francis…”

Carys got up and Angie stood up with her following them out into the living room. “It’s okay, Angie, I really just wanted your opinion on my senior poem. Can you read it and tell me what you think?”

“I can,” Angie said, with pride that Carys would want her opinion on something.

“It’s in my coat, hang on.”

“I’ll get it,” Francis said.

“It’s about Jack…” Carys said, her voice a little sad. “I feel like you knew him best Angie, and I wanted to know what you thought.”

Tears had already sprung to Angie’s eyes and threatened to spill over.

“Here’s your coat, Care,” Francis said, holding it up for his sister as she got the page out of the inside pocket.

“You don’t have to read it right this second. Looking at your face right now I’m begging that you don’t, my heart couldn’t take it right now.”

The tears did spill over as she took the tribute to her brother from Carys and the two women hugged.

“I’m serious, Ange, don’t even look at the title,” Carys continued. “You just go back to having fun tonight and maybe on your day off we can get together after I get out of school.”

Angie did her best to compose herself as she pulled out of the hug.

“I’d like that…”

Mrs. Martinelli came out of the kitchen and stopped in her tracks. “Oh sorry,” she started to go back in and Francis and Carys protested.

“We’re going, Mrs. M. Thanks for a wonderful evening,” Francis said, reaching out to her and she quickly walked to him and let herself be enveloped by his hug.

“Thanks for bringing the keg, Fran. You want a plate to take back with you?”

“No that’s okay…”

“What is this ‘no’? I don’t understand it,” Mrs. Martinelli said as she disappeared back into the kitchen and got the package of food she had already made for Francis and Carys to take home.

“You should know her by now, Francis,” Angie said, as she was wiping her eyes with her handkerchief. “You can’t get out without a pound or two of food.”

Mrs. Martinelli came back out of the kitchen with indeed a very large parcel of food.

“Just a little somethin’,” she said, handing the package to Francis.

“I’m getting the feeling Ma doesn’t know what the word ‘little’ means,” Angie said.

Carys and Francis laughed and then they said goodbye to everyone in the parlor.

Peggy stood up and shook Francis’ and Carys’ hands.

“Angie, next time I’ll tell you some Peggy stories,” Francis said, with a devilish glint in his eyes.

“Oh yeah?” Angie said, with an equally devilish smile.

“Yeah, Pat told me some really good ones and then there was last week at the bar.”

“Oh, that one I already know,” Angie said, with a wink, at a speechless Peggy.

The siblings and Angie moved out to the living room and then hugged and kissed each other saying their goodbyes.

Carys hugged Angie an extra moment and then pulled back to look at her.

“I didn’t write it to make you cry, Angie. I know it might be painful, but I think you’d like it.”

Angie looked at her and willed the tears not to come to her eyes. It was hard, because standing before her was the face of Jack, in woman form.

“I know I will, it just might take a hanky or two to get through it.”

“I get off of school at 2:30, would you come and pick me up?”

“I will, Carys,” Angie said, sincerely and gave her another hug.

“Great,” Carys hugged her tight. “See you then,” she said, as she followed her brother out the door.

Back in the parlor, Angie sat next to Peggy who put her hand over hers. They looked at each other and Peggy’s eyes held a question.

“Everything alright, dearest?”

“Perfectly alright,” she held up the paper Carys had given her. “Carys wants me to read her poem and tell her what I thought about it. I’m going to meet her Wednesday after school and we’ll talk.”

“That’s good, you can do some proper catching up,” Peggy squeezed her hand.

“We can,” Angie gave Peggy’s hand a grateful squeeze.

“Okay, young lady, time to go read, no?” Angie asked Millie and bumped her shoulder.

“Yes, I’m ready, I feel like I could go to sleep soon and I don’t want to miss it.”

“Let’s get to it then!” Angie said, excitedly.

Vinny accompanied them on their walk back to the Fetzer’s and as Peggy listened to a story Millie told her about when Angie’s uncle went to her school last week, Angie saw it as an opportunity to ask Vinny and Rachael a question.

“So, was Rachael getting ‘the speech’ from, Ma, earlier?”

Rachael looked down, smiling and Vinny said, “More like the grilling.”

“She was nice, Vin,” Rachael said, pushing his shoulder. “She wants me to show her how to make challah and rugelach.”

“She’s letting you teach her to cook?” Angie’s eyes grew wide in awe and wonder. “When is the wedding?”

Now it was Vinny’s turn to shove someone and he shoved his sister’s shoulder.

“Hey, don’t you know you can’t hit a girl?”

“I didn’t hit you and you’re not a girl,” he said, with mocking in his voice. “You’re my _sister_.”

Angie and Rachael laughed.

As they went into the house, and up the stairs, Millie whispered, “Vinny and mom are gonna talk down there, they do that a lot lately…though I must be having trouble hearing sometimes, because it’s awfully quiet most of the time.”

“Uhhhm,” Peggy said.

“Yeah, uhhhh,” Angie added

“Don’t worry, I’m only joking,” Millie said, with a smirk on her face.

“Millie, you stinker!” Angie said and laughed, looking at Peggy who was laughing too.

“I think it’s nice that they’re a couple, now Mom won’t be so lonely.”

“She’ll never be lonely, Mil, she has you.”

“Yeah, but what about when I move out to go to college? Besides, she does need someone to kiss you know.”

“Yes,” Angie looked at Peggy. “I know…”

Peggy blushed and looked at the ground.

Snapping out of her reverie, Angie asked, “So, do we have a ‘Words and Music’ patch for Peggy, Millie, or does my Ma have to make one?”

“No, we have one, I think…look in the box by my bed.”

Angie found the box and opened it up, “Yep, one left. Here you go, Peg,” she handed the patch to Peggy.

“I get a patch, wow, that is very smart looking indeed.”

“Mrs. Martinelli sews them for us. I guess we have to order more from her now, Angie.”

“Yep, I’ll put in an order.”

“See, Peggy, there’s a book and musical notes on it,” Millie said, running her finger over the patch, feeling the objects. Mrs. Martinelli had purposely made them more raised so that Millie could feel them because she was blind and couldn’t see them.

“It’s lovely, I also love the colors,” Peggy said, sincerely.

“Angie helped pick them out, ya know, me not really remembering what colors look like, but she described them to me and I understand now.”

“What do we read tonight, Mil?” Angie asked. “Another chapter of ‘All the King’s Men’ or did you have something else in mind?”

“How about this?” Millie took out a copy of “Orlando” and held it out for Angie, who looked at it, stunned.

Peggy’s mouth was agape, and her eyes widened.

“I wanted something with a female hero and my friend at school said she this one has that. I don’t know though, she told me not to show my mom, so I think she might be just fibbing.”

“Mil…there’s a lot of…”

“Sex?”

Peggy’s eyes went wider.

“Yeah…” Angie finally said, truthfully.

Millie sighed, “I knew it was too good to be true.”

Peggy spoke up, “Millie, I have a great book that has a female heroine that I will bring next week that might be more suitable for a girl your age, would that be okay with you?”

Millie brightened up and nodded enthusiastically.

Angie smiled her thanks and Peggy squeezed her arm.

“So, I guess we continue with the other one, then huh?”

“Yeah,” Millie said, a little dejected. “I mean it’s great, but it’s got a lot of men…”

“I know how you feel,” Peggy said, and rubbed Millie’s shoulder.

Angie chuckled and shook her head.

“Okay, here goes,” she said, as she found her place in Robert Penn Warren’s novel and read on for a couple of chapters.

After they finished with their chapters and said their goodnights, Millie was soon asleep soon and Angie bent down to kiss her forehead.

Outside the room Peggy shook her head.

“I liked the book you read, but I wouldn’t mind seeing your reading of Orlando, trying to read all of those passages about the female and male form…”

Angie narrowed her eyes, “I would have managed, you know, Millie and I have read some racy stuff, that you don’t often think is going to be in a book and then it surprises you. But yeah, I would have been blushing for sure.”

“I can’t believe her friend set her up like that,” Peggy said.

“Kids these days…I tell ya, they’re getting bolder and bolder,” Angie shook her head.

“But dearest, you performed a play about Orlando, when you were _eight_ …”

“Yeah, but Vinny only wrote about the high seas and changing from a man to a woman, there wasn’t any _sex_ in it, English.” She said, affronted.

When they made their way to the stairs, Angie held up her hand and stopped Peggy from going down.

“We’re coming down…stop the smushy-face,” she warned, not too loud so that she wouldn’t wake Millie and then waited as she heard the rustling around stop.

“You’re a genius on being subtle,” Vinny said.

“I try,” Angie said, with a smirk. “We’ll be over at Mom and Pop’s; will you give me and Peggy a ride back to the city?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Vinny said, slightly embarrassed.

“Bye, Rach,” Angie said, and gave her a hug.

“Goodbye, Rachael,” Peggy said, giving her a hug after Angie was done.

“Thanks for coming and reading to Millie, ladies, I really appreciate it.”

“Always. We’ll be back next week, if that’s okay with you?”

“Sunday’s the new day, huh?”

“Well, now that Peggy’s a member, we should do it on a day where it’s more likely she can participate.”

“Unless Wednesday was better for you, I don’t want you to change-”

Rachel stepped in quickly, “Change schmange, Sunday is perfect.”

“I’m glad,” Peggy smiled at her, she would have been disappointed if she couldn’t participate.

*****

As Vinny drove them back to their new place, he asked Angie if she had told Peggy about his proposal.

“What’s that, darling?” Peggy said, from her place on the passenger seat, Angie was in between them.

“Vinny’s written a play,” Angie said, putting a hand on Peggy’s. “He’s gonna see if he can put it on the stage in that little playhouse near us.”

“ _We_ are gonna see if we can put it on,” Vinny corrected.

“Oh yes?” Peggy asked.

“Yeah, he wants me to be the lead.”

“That sounds wonderful…but is it terribly expensive to put something like that on, even in a small venue?”

“Aunt Freddy and Uncle Bobby said they’d like to help out and produce, they’re also putting us in touch with a talent manager,” Vinny said.

Peggy looked over, impressed. “Darlings, I think you’re both about to become famous…”

“You haven’t even read the script yet, Peg.”

“Plus, fame isn’t our aim,” Vinny said, pleased with his rhyme.

“Speak for yourself, _junior_.”

“You’re the junior, _Ange_ ,” Vinny said.

“You know…you’re right,” Angie laughed. “I guess I haven’t really thought of that much…”

“You don’t remember Pat calling you ‘Junior’?”

“I do, but I never really thought _why_ he was calling me that.”

“You know, I’ve been meaning to ask…” Peggy said, trailing off.

“What honey?” Angie asked.

“Why do they call you ‘Pip’?”

Vinny snickered and Angie bumped his shoulder with hers.

“Hey! I’m drivin’ here, one bump like that and I could go right off the road into the river,” Vinny said, nervously.

“That’s ‘cause you’re driving is horrible, don’t blame that on me,” Angie said.

Peggy continued, “It can’t be because of Pippi Longstocking, that’s only just come out…or is it?”

Angie chuckled, “No…”

“What then?”

Vinny said, “Great Expectations. Angie beat Jack out for the part in seventh grade.”

Peggy had a proud smile on her face, “ _You_ , beat out a _boy_ for the part…of a _boy_?”

“We had a very progressive drama teacher; he was obsessed with the idea of casting a girl in the role.”

“I’m impressed, darling,” Peggy said. “You really _are_ Orlando.”

“Only after Constantinople, sweetheart,” Angie said, and winked at Peggy, threading her arm through hers and cuddling into her a little more.

Peggy knew that was somehow a commentary on the fact that Angie didn’t have a phallus, but now she got a picture in her head and it made her heart curiously jump. She went quiet for a bit, wondering if she might have seen something like that in a dream.

“Did you bring the script, Vin?” Angie asked.

“No, I left it back at Mom and Pop’s.”

Angie made an annoyed sound.

“Of course, I brought it with me. I want you to read it, don’t I? In fact, if you can, I’d like you both to read it. I’m not in class on Wednesday, I’ll come back out here then and you tell me what you think. Sound good?”

“I’ve got to meet Carys after 2:30 at her school.”

“I’ll be at work,” Peggy said, finally tuning back into the conversation.

“I’ll come for breakfast then, and then Ange and I’ll go to that theater, and I’ll bring her to Brooklyn to see Carys. How’s that for efficiency?”

“Sounds pretty war time efficient to me, Vinny,” Peggy said, sincerely.

“That’s a high compliment coming from you, Peggy, thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” Angie said, with a dismissive wave of her and they had good laugh at that.

*****

“Oh, this is good, Peg…”

“It is, dearest,” Peggy said, sincerely. The characters leapt off the page at her. From what she read over Angie’s shoulder, Vinny was a very good playwright and she could just see Angie in the role of Maggie, in Vinny’s adaptation of _Maggie: A Girl of the Streets_ , from the novel by Stephen Crane.

“I mean, I’ve seen treatments of this before, and he and I have talked at length about the social commentary,” Angie said. “He’s moving the setting to Brooklyn and to have all the modern backdrops and language…”

“It is very, very good, darling. I’m going to be very proud of both of you soon, I can feel it,” Peggy said, excited for her.

Angie was really energized and she got up and started pacing around, picturing the set, describing the way they should light it and how she should be dressed, her hair and makeup. It was all very exciting.

“Oh!” Angie said, surprised. “I almost forgot.”

“What?”

“Carys wanted me to read her poem for Jack…oh God, Peg. She wrote it as her senior piece for her poetry writing class…I don’t think I can read it without crying…will you…” She went to her purse and pulled out the piece of paper, holding it out to her.

Peggy was a little worried about reading it to Angie, especially because it looked like she was going to be upset, but she stuffed that feeling down and accepted the paper from her. She quickly read the words silently and Angie who was turned around, turned back and looked at her.

“Peg?”

“Sorry, darling, I was getting a feel for the style. It’s like a sonnet but it has more than fourteen lines.”

“I don’t think they much care at Our Lady of Refuge, they just look for bad words.”

“Quite right,” Peggy nodded and then started to read.

Angie turned back around, not able to look at Peggy.

“To My Brother Who Is No Longer With Us”

To my brother, who was taken from us much too soon

What do I see when I look at the moon?

I see your face, its smile fixed and true,

I see your eyes, so clear and grey and blue

In the birds, I hear your song,

To have you singing, I do now long

In Tempest’s play you took your vow,

I often wonder, how that matters now?

Angie turned around, tears were in her eyes, but she looked very puzzled.

“What is it, darling? You look as if you’d seen a ghost,” Peggy said, looking up from the paper.

“In Tempest’s play you took your vow…” Angie said, remembering the line. “What comes after that?”

Peggy looked back at the paper for the line, “In Tempest’s play you took your vow…I often wonder how that matters now…” She looked at Angie’s face as it turned further to puzzlement and Angie took the paper out of Peggy’s hands and read on.

When the stars come out in all their glory,

I talk to you, I tell your story

In friends and family your memory lingers,

But what I wouldn’t give to touch your fingers

To hear your laugh, to see you smile,

I think I’d walk the world, mile by mile

In the end, my heart is light,

What’s done is done, it can’t be put right

With you in the sky, there’s nothing I can’t do,

When my time comes, I’ll ask if you knew

I love you my brother, who was taken too soon,

I’m no longer scared, because I still have the moon

Angie repeated a couple of the lines of the poem, “What’s done is done, it can’t be put right…When my time comes, I’ll ask if you knew…”

“What’s the matter, Angie,” Peggy was getting more concerned with every passing moment. “Tell me, please.”

“She knows…I don’t know _how_ she knows, but she knows,” Angie dropped her head down and sobbed. She let the paper slip out of her hand and fall to the ground. Peggy bent down and picked it up, reading the poem again to herself.

“In Tempest’s play…” she said, aloud.

“Shakespeare’s play, _The Tempest_ …” Angie said, like Peggy should know why this was affecting her so.

“Yes, _The Tempest_ …”

“Jack played Prospero, who was teaching Miranda the value of chastity…”

“His vow…”

Angie shook her head and her face became tearful again, “Jack had vowed chastity…comically one night in front of his family…but maybe Carys thought it was real. Maybe she was being nice but was harboring this hatred towards me since he died…because she knew he broke that vow the night he went into a coma.”

“Oh, Angie, dear heart, why would you think that?” Peggy asked.

Angie pointed to the line on the page, “What’s done is done…it can’t be put right.” She then pointed painedly to the line after the next one, “When my time comes, I’ll ask if you knew…”

“I still don’t understand…” Peggy was genuinely puzzled.

“She’s saying that Jack can’t ever come back, because he’s dead, and when _she_ goes, she’ll ask him if he knew it was the…” Angie stopped and stared at the far wall for a while before finally saying, “…if he knew it was the sex with me that-”

Peggy cut her off, “Oh, no, darling, we’ve been over this, _you_ did not _kill_ , Jack.”

“Carys thinks I did, though and that’s worse than me thinking that,” Angie said, breaking down and sitting on the settee in front of the bed.

For the next few minutes, Peggy went between trying to work out in her head why Jack’s sister would wish to torment Angie and trying to console her. She had moved to the bed and just curled herself into a ball, not really responding to any of Peggy’s attempts at consolation.

“Dearest, you need your rest, come on, let me help you get into your nightgown at least and we’ll brush our teeth…”

“I’m sorry, Peg…” Angie said, letting Peggy pick her up off the bed.

“For what, sweetheart, why are you sorry?”

“For bringing all this badness on you,” Angie said, her voice depressed.

“What badness? I believe this is all a misunderstanding, it has to be. I saw you and Carys tonight at the party, she was not being nice and sweet to you _as an act_.”

“Why not? Jack was a wonderful actor, it runs in the family.”

“No, dearest, I know people, on this you must trust me. I know when they are being true and when they are being fake.”

“Like Dottie…”

Peggy narrowed her eyes and then looked away. Angie said that as a means to hurt her…at that thought, tears sprung instantly to her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall. She had never experienced this particular side of Angie in quite this way before and it she was unusually hurt by it.

Angie saw the hurt on her face and she cursed herself.

“I didn’t mean that,” Angie said, trying to apologize. “Peg, you have to believe me, I don’t know why I said that, I…”

Peggy held the piece of paper up to Angie and waved her apology off, “I am going to find out why she would write this, to hurt you with. I do not think that she wrote it that way, but if she did, I will find out why, if it’s the last thing I do.”

Angie stepped closer to her and wrapped her arms around her. “Thank you, sweetheart, thank you. I am so, so sorry I said that about Dottie, Peg. I can’t help it sometimes…I get hurt and then I just get that red…it consumes me.”

“You’re getting better at me being able to bring you back from that dark place, but I wish you wouldn’t hurt me like that…although, I did say something equally as callous Friday morning if you remember. So, I won’t hold this against you.”

“I will never…well, let me not say never, because this isn’t like some magic spell that we can just snap the fingers on and I’ll be cured. But I promise you, I will do my best to keep that to the barest of minimums.”

“I hope, because I don’t mind telling you, darling, one of your daggers is like twenty of anyone else’s that has _ever_ hurt me.”

Peggy looked in her eyes and searched for something, finding it there she leaned down slightly for a kiss and Angie gratefully gave it to her.

Angie’s request for forgiveness was in that one kiss and Peggy did sincerely feel it. A thought came into her mind and as the kiss ended, she looked at the paper by holding it up to the lamp.

“Someone’s changed the wording on this, darling,” Peggy said.

“What?”

“Here look,” Peggy pointed to the three sentences in question. “You see the line where it says, ‘What’s done is done, it can’t be put right’? Here?”

Angie nodded, “I see it.”

“Well, that sentence has nine words in it, but look,” she pointed to the end of the sentence. “There are marks of more words, and the person was good in making it look like it wasn’t changed, but you can definitely tell someone erased words here. I can almost make it out…something about ‘fright’”

“I think I see it too, Peg…but maybe Carys was just making a correction.”

“Could be, but this looks like a final draft to me. Here, what time is it?”

“Ten thirty,” Angie said, looking at Peggy’s watch.

“I think if you call over there, she might still be up, try to see if she can recite the poem to you.”

“You’re right!” Angie said, and went to the phone, still marveling slightly that Stark had a phone in every room as she dialed. “Francis, Angie, is Carys still up?”

“You read her poem, didn’t you?” He asked.

“Yeah, I just did, can I talk to her about it?”

“Did you cry?”

“Yes…why?”

“She knew you would, I hope that doesn’t mean that you don’t like it though…I thought it was really nice for Jack and us.”

“It is, Francis, it’s wonderful, that’s why I’d like to talk to her.”

“Oh, yeah, what am I doing,” he put his hand over the mouthpiece. “Carys, Angie’s on the phone. She’ll be right down,” he said, to Angie. “Hey, you let me know if you need any help for that play Vinny said he wrote.”

“He told you about that?”

“No, you just did,” Francis said with a laugh. “I heard you two conspiring about something at the party and I put two and two together. It looked like old times when youse would be planning one of your plays, the only thing missing was Jack’s blond head there too.”

Angie smiled, a little sadly, “I know.”

“Here she is, night, Ange.”

“Night, Francis.”

“Hi Angie! What did you think?”

“It was…wonderful, Carys…very touching…you were right, I cried…”

“I knew it, that’s why I couldn’t have you read it when I was there and looking at you. I know you’d turn into a ball of jelly and I couldn’t take seeing that.”

“I know,” Angie chuckled, then went silent. Finally, she said, “Carys, I have a question for you, do you mind reading it to me now over the phone? Do you have another copy?”

“I do, but I don’t need one, I have it memorized. Is that okay?”

“That would be perfect.”

Peggy, who had been standing next to Angie, put her ear closer to the receiver and Angie angled it so she could hear better. Her pencil at the ready.

All of the lines checked out until Carys got to the line after “In Tempest’s play you took your vow”, Carys said, “With family you stood and stated how”.

Peggy nodded and quickly wrote that next to what the line was on the page.

Carys had continued and the next seven lines checked out, then instead of saying, “What’s done is done, it can’t be put right” she said, “I’ve reconciled my tears and canceled my fright” Peggy wrote that down next to the sentence there and listened for the next sentences as Carys continued and Angie had to put her hand over her mouth to stop from gasping as Carys recited the line after the next, “In my dreams you speak to me and my worries are few”, Peggy scribbled that down as Carys read the two end lines. Angie read the last line with her, “I’m no longer scared now, because I still have the moon.” Her voice broke on that and Peggy put her arm around her comfortingly. She kissed the side of Angie’s head.

“Thank you, Carys, that was so beautiful. You did your brother proud,” Angie said, fixing the phone more firmly on her ear.

“You like how I put him in there as the moon?”

“Yeah, you did that so well, he always loved to stare at the moon and tell stories about how you would be able to find him up there one day,” Angie remembered and she had to catch her breath as it made her almost break down. She felt Peggy squeeze her harder and give her another kiss to the side of her head.

“I can’t thank you enough for your support on this, Angie, just knowing that it moved you tells me I got the tone right.”

“You sure did, honey…”

“Does this mean you’re not coming on Wednesday to see me?”

“Not at all, I’ll be there,” Angie said, with confidence. As Peggy moved away to let Angie finish her conversation, she mouthed Peggy a thank you and blew her a kiss, that Peggy caught and placed on her lips, with a wink.

“Good, we’ll have a real girl’s day out, we can go to Juniors and split a ‘Something Special’, just like old times.”

Angie smiled, “I’d love that, though, we never could finish those.”

“I know, they give you so much there. Will your friend, Peggy, be able to come?”

“Unfortunately, not, Carys, she’ll be at work,” She looked at Peggy, who pouted.

“Oh, well, maybe next time then…”

“Yeah, I think that would be great, you could come out here maybe, one weekend, we have a big place here, with a lot of rooms, we’ll do a sleep over.”

“That would be the aces!” Carys said, excitedly. “Well, it’s getting late, thank so much for calling and telling me how you liked the poem, Angie, I’ll sleep really well tonight.”

“Your welcome, honey, thanks for sharing that with me.”

“Love you, good night,” Carys said.  
“Good night, love you too, babe,” Angie said and letting out the most satisfying sigh when the phone was safely hung up.

Peggy was sitting on the bed, looking down at the paper in her hand.

“Who would have changed it?” she asked, not looking up at Angie.

“Any way to pull a print?”

“Maybe an hour ago, but now you and I have had our fingers all over it…”

Angie sat next to Peggy and leaned into her, smiling as she felt the arm automatically snake around her, pulling her closer.

“I love you, Peggy Carter,” Angie said, turning her head and kissing Peggy’s cheek.

“And I love you, Angie Martinelli,” Peggy said, turning her head and kissing her lips.

“You shouldn’t,” Angie said, after the kiss was done. Peggy looked at her puzzled. “I have an awful temper.”

“And I don’t?”

“Oh, we’re doing this again? The ‘who’s worse’ contest?”

Peggy nodded, “Any time you’re down on yourself, yes. So, if you want it to stop, you have to stop beating yourself up.”

“Okay, okay, ease up with the torture, Agent Carter.”

“I don’t torture…I needle.”

“There’s a difference?”

“A big one,” Peggy looked at Angie, confident in her ability.

“What’s that?”

“Torture takes hours, but if you needle someone, they’re liable to give up everything in minutes. I think you know that, from your father’s mother. Wasn’t that what you said about her and Hitler? Besides, I’m not a barbarian, darling.”

“You know, I really would like to hear your war stories,” Angie said, suddenly curious to hear that part of Peggy’s life without any filters.

“Let’s go get ready for bed and I will tell you one bedtime story, is that okay?”

“Yes, with a promise for one a night until you run out.”

“That might be never, dear, with the way the world has been going, lately.”

“Well, then…in the year…2020, when chaos has ended, and nothing but love and peace prevail, then you can stop, but until then…”

“Oh, dear, what have I signed up for?” Peggy narrowed her eyes at Angie’s retreating form. “2020, I would be…” Her eyebrows went almost into her hairline and she followed Angie into the bathroom, exclaiming, “I’d be ninety-nine!”

Back in bed, they lay in each other’s arms and were delighting in the feeling their kisses were giving each other. Peggy was pretty sure it was about to get hot and heavy when Angie suddenly pulled back.

“Louie!” Angie yelled.

Peggy narrowed her eyes at her, “What the flippin’…”

“That rat, fu-” Angie started to say the mother of all curses and Peggy put her hand over her mouth to stop it.

“We say, ‘flippin’ in this house, darling.”

“Fipn,” Angie said, through Peggy’s hand and she lifted it, satisfied. “…bastard!”

“What about him?”

“He was over at Francis’ the other night, like maybe even last night. Carys said she had a copy of the poem, he could have taken it and left her with the copy, then…I mean, I don’t really know how she ended up with the doctored one, but…”

“I think you have a solid lead there, dear heart. Now, can we get back to the lovin’?”

“You were going to tell me a war story,” Angie said, with a slight pout.

“Oh yes, no, don’t pout,” Peggy said, quickly. “I will tell all, just don’t pout.”

Angie smiled and made herself more comfortable.

“I cannot believe that you would let me tell a war story and not be ranting and raving about Louie for the next hour or two…I mean, _I_ would.”

“It’s this new thing I’m trying out, called ‘not letting the anger consume me’.”

Peggy looked impressed, “Looks like it’s working.”

“Yes, but don’t worry, I’ll get that rat fu-” She looked at Peggy whose head had turned to her quickly. “Flippin’ bastard soon.” Her countenance brightened considerably. “So, let’s have it.”

“I already told you about code breaking at Bletchley Park and then my time in France. Well, next is the castle in the Bavarian Alps. Castle Kauffman.”

Angie squeezed Peggy around the middle a little more, she loved to hear her stories, “What did you do there?”

“There I rescued Dr. Abraham Erskine from the Nazis and HYDRA,” Peggy went silent, remembering something. Then said, “You know something, I just remembered who it is that your Aunt Freddy reminds me of…”

“Oh, yeah, that’s been bugging you all night,” Angie said, grateful that Peggy finally worked it out.

“He could be his brother, except no beard and less white.”

“Dr. Erskine?”

“Yes,” Peggy said, happy that she worked it out. “Anyway, Dr. Erskine and Castle Kaufmann. He was being held there while they made him work to perfect his serum. The one that would turn an ordinary soldier into a fighting machine.”

“The one that turned Steve into Captain America.”

“Exactly,” Peggy said. “They told Dr. Erskine that if he perfected it, he would be reunited with his family. But what they failed to tell him, was that his family had already perished in a concentration camp.”

“Monsters,” Angie spit the word out.

“Indeed,” Peggy agreed. “So, I was tasked with rescuing him from the Castle before he could perfect it.”

“And since Steve became Captain America, I’m guessing that mission was successful,” Angie smiled at Peggy, proudly.

“It was,” Peggy smiled back.

“How did you get in the castle? Their security must have been rock solid.”

“It was, but I went in through the servant’s entrance.”

“The security wasn’t as tight there, huh?”

“It was, dearest,” Peggy said, with a devilish glint in her eyes.

Angie realized Peggy was toying with her, so she called her bluff.

“Oh, okay, so I guess that’s it. Night, English.” She turned around and settled herself for sleep. “Great story,” she said, sarcastically.

Peggy stared at her back, puzzled.

“Lesson learned,” Peggy said, pulling at Angie’s arm. “Never toy with an Italian-Sicilian woman from Flatbush.”

“Exactly,” Angie nodded her head, as she settled back into the position she was in previously. “So, spill!”

Peggy continued, “I was hired as a maid and worked there for over a month, gaining confidences of the other staff, and some of the soldiers there. Learning patterns of travel, you know, exactly who came in and went out of the Castle and at what time all the while gaining the trust of Erskine.”

“It must have been hard telling him about his family,” Angie said, squeezing Peggy a little tighter.

“It was…” She trailed off, remembering it. “But he believed me and then we made our escape.”

“Through the Bavarian Alps. On foot.”

Peggy nodded at her.

“There should be books written about you…” Angie said, in awe.

“I suppose one day there might be, but that’s not what I do this type of work for.”

“And that’s what I love about you most, I think,” Angie leaned in for a kiss. When it ended, she said, “When I’m down on myself about my acting, I’ll just remind myself of what you’ve been through and how you handle it all with dignity and grace.”

Peggy smirked as she remembered the look on Erskine’s face as she had him tied to her, pulling him up the rocky mountain in a Bavarian maid’s costume, which didn’t leave much to the imagination, unfortunately.

“Sometimes, you have to stuff dignity and grace in a footlocker, just to get the job done, dearest. But I thank you for thinking that of me,” Peggy said, and then leaned down for another kiss.

Angie was genuinely impressed with her girlfriend’s exploits in the war. It made her proud, and just a little sexually aroused, but she had to keep that in check, she wanted to hear the details.

“I know you’re not going to be happy about this,” Angie said, and watched Peggy’s face go dark. “Now, let’s get to the nitty gritty,” she said.

Peggy’s face instantly brightened and she started undoing the ties of Angie’s nightgown.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting down to the ‘nitty gritty’?”

“I mean with the story, I want the how, what, where, why…”

Peggy pouted, and asked, “And then the other ‘nitty gritty’?”

“After this story, I’ll give you any nitty and gritty you want, lover.”

Peggy’s eyes grew wide as she settled herself into a comfortable position and told Angie the whole story of how she rescued Dr. Erskine.

After the story was done, and the other nitty and the gritty had been gotten down to. Peggy rolled over on top of Angie, holding her down and letting her feel her raw strength. Angie’s eyes grew like saucers and then her eyelids went hooded.

“I hope you didn’t intend to get any sleep tonight there, English,” Angie said. “You just keep stoking those fires, don’t you?”

“Mmmhmm,” Peggy said, nodding and sliding her body up and down Angie’s. “I can’t seem to get enough.”

“No one’s complaining,” Angie said, letting Peggy settle between her legs and then locking them around her body.

“Speaking of…are you sure this room is soundproofed?” Peggy asked.

“Did you hear a blood curdling scream while you were outside in the hall earlier tonight?”

“No,” Peggy said, puzzled.

“It’s soundproof alright,” Angie smiled, with a devilish glint in her eyes.

“Darling…” Peggy purred out and started a familiar rhythm.

“Babe…” Angie gasped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I usually try to follow canon in the show pretty closely, but I needed to change that part of canon, where it’s Jarvis, not Howard that gives Peggy Steve’s blood. Mainly, because I already had Howard giving it to her in the last chapter, but also because I thought Howard needed one redeeming quality in this whole story or I would end up hating him. Like everyone hates Thompson. 😊 That’s just my take on Howard’s story anyway. I hope you liked it.


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